ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Personalized Education; Solving a Group Formation and Scheduling Problem for Educational Content
Author: Bahargam, Sanaz
Date: 2015-06-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Grouping (Instructional Purposes),Scheduling,Time Factors (Learning),Individualized Instruction,Instructional Materials,Computation,Mathematics,Data Analysis,Computer Science Education,College Students

Whether teaching in a classroom or a Massive Online Open Course it is crucial to present the material in a way that benefits the audience as a whole. We identify two important tasks to solve towards this objective; (1) group students so that they can maximally benefit from peer interaction and (2) find an optimal schedule of the educational material for each group. Thus, in this paper we solve the problem of team formation and content scheduling for education. Given a time frame &quot;d,&quot; a set of students S with their required need to learn different activities T and given &quot;k&quot; as the number of desired groups, we study the problem of finding &quot;k&quot; group of students. The goal is to teach students within time frame &quot;d&quot; such that their potential for learning is maximized and find the best schedule for each group. We show this problem to be NP-hard and develop a polynomial algorithm for it. We show our algorithm to be effective both on synthetic as well as a real data set. For our experiments we use real data on students' grades in a Computer Science department. As part of our contribution we release a semi-synthetic dataset that mimics the properties of the real data. [For complete proceedings, see ED560503.]
Are They Learning? A College Trustee's Guide to Assessing Academic Effectiveness
Author: American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA), Institute for Effective Governance
Date: 2013-01-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: College Role,Evaluation Methods,Academic Achievement,Skill Development,Educational Quality,Educational Assessment,Accountability,Tests,Higher Education,Cost Effectiveness

The most urgent task of colleges and universities is to prepare graduates for the challenges of career, community, and citizenship. Responsible institutions will be diligent and proactive in determining whether their academic programs increase core collegiate skills in analytical reasoning, mathematics, critical thinking, and writing. This brochure describes several valid, reliable, and nationally-normed assessments that colleges can use to measure the overall intellectual growth of their students. Unlike the tests and papers found in individual courses, these instruments provide a comprehensive profile of academic progress. Trustees will find in this brief guide both a rationale and supporting arguments for implementing institution-wide assessment of growth in core collegiate skills. Governing boards have a crucial role in ensuring that their institutions continuously improve teaching and learning, and objective assessment of core skills is the key element in academic quality assurance.
Leading the Charge: Governors, Higher Education and Accountability
Author: American Council of Trustees and Alumni
Date: 2014-08-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Higher Education,Accountability,Educational Quality,Costs,State Officials,Educational Improvement,School Effectiveness,Leadership,Technical Assistance,Educational Practices,Educational Change,Partnerships in Education

With this new tool, ACTA [American Council of Trustees and Alumni] is working to expand its outreach to governors nationwide on behalf of higher education reform, focusing on key issues of quality, cost, and accountability. ACTA has worked with governors and education leaders from across the country, and that experience has proven that innovative governors are key to improving higher education accountability and performance.
Education or Reputation? A Look at America's Top-Ranked Liberal Arts Colleges
Author: Poliakoff, Michael
Date: 2014-01-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Liberal Arts,Reputation,Institutional Evaluation,Tuition,Educational Finance,Selective Admission,Colleges,Academic Standards,Graduation Requirements,Grade Point Average,Substance Abuse,School Safety,Time Management,Study Habits,Debt (Financial),Paying for College,Private Colleges,Required Courses,Evaluation Criteria,Financial Support

ACTA [American Council of Trustees and Alumni] today released a report that examines the country's most prestigious liberal arts colleges. Despite endowments soaring as high as $1.8 billion, nearly all institutions increased tuition during the Great Recession to finance bloated administrative spending, with many college presidents enjoying salaries higher than Barack Obama's. &quot;Education or Reputation?&quot; peels back reputation to find out what students are really getting for their diploma's $240,000 price tag. Two appendices are included: (1) Criteria for Evaluating Core Courses; and (2) School Evaluation Notes for Core Courses.
Florida Rising: An Assessment of Public Universities in the Sunshine State
Author: Poliakoff, Michael
Date: 2013-06-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Higher Education,Barriers,Access to Education,Educational Quality,Educational Indicators,Graduation Rate,Core Curriculum,Expenditures,Cost Effectiveness,College Athletics,Academic Persistence,Public Education,Public Colleges,Strategic Planning,Tuition,Educational Planning,Paying for College,College Outcomes Assessment,Educational Resources,Performance Factors,Time to Degree,Family Income,Governance,Governing Boards,Educational Finance

The State University System of Florida has in recent years faced major budgetary challenges, remarkable for the size of its reductions in state funding, even when compared to the large cuts seen in so many states struck by the recession of 2008. What is more surprising in the world of higher education, however, is the progress that Florida's public universities have achieved on key indicators of quality such as graduation and retention during these challenging times. This report, the 11th in the American Council of Trustees and Alumni's (ACTA's) series of state-focused studies, examines the progress and achievements of the State University System of Florida, as well as the weaknesses and obstacles that it continues to confront. The report examines issues of cost, speech codes, administrative versus academic spending, core curriculum, athletic spending, and graduation rates. The story of Florida's public universities has particular importance for higher education in other states: if successful, Florida's proactive initiatives to maximize both access and academic quality will represent a key example for other states to follow and a new benchmark for cost-effectiveness in higher education. The following are appended: (1) Criteria for Core Courses; and (2) School Evaluation Notes for Core Courses. [For the 10th report in the series, &quot;Best Laid Plans: The Unfulfilled Promise of Public Higher Education in California,&quot; see ED534855.]
Bold Leadership Real Reform [Annual Report, 2014]
Author: American Council of Trustees and Alumni
Date: 2015-03-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Higher Education,Educational Change,Accountability,Governance,Trustees,Accreditation (Institutions),Educational Quality,Academic Freedom,Intellectual Freedom,Educational Environment,College Curriculum,Change Strategies,Leadership Responsibility,Government Role,Annual Reports

Higher education has never been more &quot;front and center&quot;--almost daily we hear about spiraling costs, the lack of academic rigor, and the stifling political correctness on our college campuses. Long before such issues were hot, ACTA [American Council of Trustees and Alumni] was already pointing out these worrisome trends and calling on policymakers and leaders in higher education to pursue reform. Twenty years later, ACTA is now leading the charge--taking bold strides to make higher education reform a reality. And as the media draws more and more attention to this long-brewing crisis, our audience is growing--as never before.
The Art of College Admissions: A Trustee Guide to the Value of Entrance Exams
Author: American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA), Institute for Effective Governance
Date: 2013-07-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: College Admission,Trustees,College Entrance Examinations,College Readiness,Admission Criteria,Standardized Tests,Educational Policy,Social Class,Grades (Scholastic),Prior Learning,Predictor Variables,Grade Inflation,Access to Education,Disadvantaged,Minority Group Students,Testing Problems

In recent years, a number of educators have challenged the usefulness of SAT and ACT tests as indicators of college readiness, and some institutions have stopped requiring college entrance examinations altogether. The purpose of this trustee guide is to acquaint trustees with the history and use of college entrance tests and the arguments for and against continuing their role in admissions. The guide is organized to help trustees ask the important questions so that they can provide appropriate oversight of their institution's admissions process.
Governance for a New Era: A Blueprint for Higher Education Trustees
Author: Schmidt, Benno C.
Date: 2014-08-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Governance,Higher Education,Trustees,Alumni,Conferences (Gatherings),College Presidents,Colleges,Universities,Governing Boards,Institutional Mission,Academic Freedom,Educational Policy,Interdisciplinary Approach,Intellectual Disciplines,Educational Strategies,Accountability,Personnel Selection,Institutional Autonomy,Best Practices,Self Evaluation (Individuals)

&quot;Governance for a New Era: A Blueprint for Higher Education Governance,&quot; is the product of a summit facilitated by ACTA [American Council of Trustees and Alumni] and chaired by Benno Schmidt, City University of New York Board chairman. Signatories to the statement, a diverse group of 22 distinguished national leaders, include college presidents, trustees, business leaders, academics, and policymakers dedicated to ensuring America's colleges and universities shed 20th century thinking and successfully meet 21st century challenges.
The Unkindest Cut: Shakespeare in Exile 2015
Author: Poliakoff, Michael
Date: 2015-04-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Classics (Literature),Majors (Students),English Instruction,Required Courses,Liberal Arts,Authors,Drama,Poetry,English Curriculum,Role,Alumni,Trustees,Administrator Role,Colleges,Higher Education

Read and admired throughout the world, Shakespeare's plays and poetry have been the guiding light of statesmen, of authors, and of artists. His writings are the indispensable foundation for understanding English literature, language, and rhetoric. Yet less than 8% of the nation's top universities require English majors to take even a single course that focuses on Shakespeare. &quot;The Unkindest Cut: Shakespeare in Exile 2015&quot; examines 52 of the national universities and liberal arts colleges ranked highest by &quot;U.S. News &amp; World Report.&quot; The report demonstrates how the study of Shakespeare has been marginalized at these schools and lists examples of the courses that stand in its place. The report also gives advice to trustees, administrators, alumni, and donors on how to reverse this trend. An appendix lists the Shakespeare requirement for English majors at the 52 universities and colleges examined in the study.
Getting What You Pay For? A Look at America's Top-Ranked Public Universities
Author: Poliakoff, Michael
Date: 2014-04-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Public Colleges,Universities,Reputation,Educational Quality,Student Costs,Cost Effectiveness,General Education,Tuition,Family Income,Graduation,Time to Degree,Freedom of Speech,Educational Finance,Expenditures,College Curriculum

America's great public universities were founded with the highest expectations of academic excellence and service to their states. Overall, these institutions, often called the &quot;flagship universities,&quot; do a poor job of ensuring that undergraduate students engage in an intellectually vibrant campus culture and leave with a solid foundation of common skills and knowledge. This report examines 52 top-rated institutions to separate reputation from results. Findings show that too many leading, publicly-funded institutions do not provide students with high academic quality at a reasonable price. Bloated administrative costs, shaky curricula, outsized athletic spending, and misplaced priorities have created a campus environment where too many students graduate ill-prepared, with record debt, and years later than they should--if they graduate at all. Not all schools have succumbed to the disturbing academic trends this report documents, making it clear that America's great public universities can do better. Recommendations include: (1) Understand Your Role in Strengthening Public Higher Education; and (2) Action Steps. The following are appended: (1) Criteria for Evaluating Core Courses; and (2) School Evaluation Notes for Core Courses. [This report was written with the assistance of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE).]
A Compendium of Math and Science Research Funded by NCER and NCSER: 2002-2013. NCER 2016-2000
Author: Yamaguchi, Ryoko
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Reference Materials - General
Subjects: Mathematics Education,Science Education,Educational Research,Preschool Education,Elementary Secondary Education,Adult Education,Postsecondary Education,College Readiness,Career Readiness,Research Projects,Numbers,Algebra,Measurement,Probability,Geometry,Fractions,Inquiry,Logical Thinking,Student Motivation,Student Attitudes,Physical Sciences,Biological Sciences,Earth Science,Space Sciences,Engineering,Faculty Development,Student Evaluation,Educational Policy

This compendium organizes information on the math and science projects sponsored by NCER and NCSER into two main sections: Mathematics and Science. Within each section, projects are sorted into chapters based on content area, grade level, and intended outcome. In determining the chapters, we considered the emerging college- and career-readiness standards. Many states have formed and adopted such standards to help create guidance for their K-12 school systems. Thus, we have separate chapters for prekindergarten, the K-12 system, and adult and postsecondary education system within each section to reflect the states' use of college- and career-readiness standards. Because projects may have multiple foci (e.g., math and science assessment), some projects were assigned to multiple sections and chapters. (See Appendix A: Compendium Process for a discussion of the process used during the compendium's development.) Each project included in this compendium is represented by a brief description that contains an overview of the major components of the project. Readers who would like more information about a project may follow the hyperlinked award number in each project description to access the Institute's online search engine, which contains the full abstracts upon which the compendium's descriptions are based. The following are appended: (1) Compendium Process; (2) Instructional Interventions by Chapter; (3) Professional Development by Chapter; (4) Educational Technology by Chapter; and (5) Assessment by Chapter. An index is included.
Understanding Student Mobility in the B.C. Public Post-Secondary System. Highlights from the Student Transitions Project: Post-Secondary Student Mobility
Author: British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT) (Canada)
Date: 2013-10-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Postsecondary Education,Public Education,Student Mobility,College Transfer Students,Transfer Rates (College),Reentry Students,Stopouts,Geographic Regions,College Graduates,Academic Degrees,Student Characteristics,College Students

This annual newsletter summarizes the work of the Post-secondary Student Mobility (PSM) Subcommittee of the Student Transitions Project (STP) . In an effort to better understand student mobility in the B.C. public post-secondary system, the Student Transitions Project continues to describe and quantify the numerous education pathways of students as they enter, move between and exit post-secondary institutions each year. The mobility study has also been enhanced this year to provide two new viewpoints of long-run mobility patterns, first from the perspective of a cohort of new students who move through the system over a ten-year period, and second, from a retrospective view of a cohort of recent credential completers.
Identifying Educational Practices Supported by Rigorous Evidence: A Guide to the Selection of Evidence-Based Practices
Author: Regional Resource Center Program (RRCP)
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Evidence Based Practice,Educational Practices,Selection,Identification,Educational Objectives,Educational Resources,Sustainability,Program Effectiveness

One component of the recently required State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) for State Departments of Education calls for the selection and implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs). This report provides six steps to guide the process of selecting evidence based practices (EBP): (1) Begin with the End in Mind--Determine Targeted Outcomes; (2) Identify Potential EBP(s); (3) Determine Evidence of Effectiveness of Potential EBP(s); (4) Analyze Organizational Fit of Potential EBP(s); (5) Analyze Organizational Capacity and Resources Relative to the EBP(s); and (6) Consider Monitoring and Sustainability.
Free to Teach, Free to Learn: Understanding and Maintaining Academic Freedom in Higher Education
Author: Wildavsky, Rachel
Date: 2013-04-00
Type: Guides - Non-Classroom
Subjects: Academic Freedom,Higher Education,College Faculty,Case Studies,Private Financial Support,Ethics,Integrity,Tenure,Student Organizations,College Students

This guide for trustees reports on the dangerous decline of academic freedom and intellectual diversity on college campuses. The foreword, by Benno Schmidt, chairman of the CUNY Board of Trustees and former president of Yale, comes at a time when duly-invited graduation speakers are made unwelcome, campus speech codes threaten the free exchange of ideas, and academic freedom controversies are emerging on a number of campuses. The guide features key documents that shaped the modern concept of academic freedom, coupled with commentary from a wide and bipartisan roster of distinguished educators, attorneys, and policymakers including former Harvard University president Lawrence Summers, U.S. Circuit Judge Jose Cabranes, CUNY board chairman and former president of Yale, Benno Schmidt, and the co-founders of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education Alan Charles Kors and Harvey Silverglate. The report accompanied a conference on the same subject held in New York City on April 25, 2013.
Higher: Setting a Higher Bar for Higher Ed. 2013 Annual Report
Author: American Council of Trustees and Alumni
Date: 2014-03-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Higher Education,Academic Freedom,Intellectual Freedom,Government Role,Educational Quality,Information Dissemination,Values,Accountability,Academic Standards,Governance,Donors,Institutional Characteristics,Reputation,Standards,Tuition,Costs,Paying for College,Trustees,Alumni,Annual Reports

The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) is leading the charge to return &quot;higher&quot; to higher education. We are challenging the status quo to restore academic freedom, academic rigor, and real accountability to higher education. And, we are doing so with an ever-widening network of supporters and partners.
State Scan--Residential Placements: Blind/VI and Deaf/HI. Information Research Cadre
Author: Blythe, Teresa
Date: 2013-04-24
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Residential Schools,Blindness,Deafness,Visual Impairments,Hearing Impairments,Student Placement,Educational Policy,State Schools,Special Education,Federal Legislation,Educational Legislation,Disabilities,Equal Education,Individualized Education Programs

In this Information Research Cadre, Teresa Blythe responds to the following research question: For those states that have residential schools for the Blind/VI and Deaf/HI students, have they developed policies and procedures for residential placement of these students? To develop this response Blythe conducted web research utilizing numerous search terms. Materials were examined from both State Special Schools and State Education Agencies and identified procedures for residential placement used in 18 states: CA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NM, NC, SD, TX, UT, VA, and WI. A State &quot;Cheat Sheet&quot; was developed to quickly identify specific information either from the State Schools or from the State Department of Education. The State Resources section summarizes research findings into the categories listed below and includes specific state examples for each category: (1) Initial Request for Services (NE, TX, UT); (2) Parent Notification (IL, NC); (3) Placement (CA, IN, UT); (4) Temporary Placements (CA, NC); (5) Technical Assistance (NC, TX, UT, VA, WI); and (6) IEP Addendums (NM, NC). Additional Resources are offered to provide a research base regarding residential services to students enrolled in &quot;special schools&quot;, for example: National Agendas for visual impairments and deaf or hard of hearing; placement and readiness checklists for IEP teams, etc). A list of additional resources is provided.
Regional Resource Center Program (RRCP) Technical Assistance and ESEA Accountability
Author: Regional Resource Center Program (RRCP)
Date: 2014-01-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Technical Assistance,Federal Legislation,Educational Legislation,Elementary Secondary Education,Accountability,Special Education,Disabilities,Educational Change,College Readiness,Career Readiness,Academic Standards,Program Implementation,Politics of Education,Academic Achievement,School Districts,Resource Centers,Compliance (Legal)

The Elementary and Secondary Education (ESEA) flexibility program initiated in September 2011 holds several implications for special education accountability and, by extension, state education agencies and the technical assistance providers who support them. The U.S. Department of Education has approved ESEA waiver applications for a majority of states, allowing them flexibility in the design of their state accountability systems in exchange for implementation of several key federal reform initiatives--the adoption of college- and career-ready standards for all students; differentiated recognition, accountability, and support for schools and districts; and evaluation systems for educators and administrators that incorporate measures of student achievement. These shifts in state accountability systems represent particular changes and challenges for special education and students with disabilities. It is evident that states are looking to the Regional Comprehensive Centers (RRCs) for guidance and technical assistance around the implementation of their ESEA waivers as they relate to systems changes that impact students with disabilities. More and more states are bridging the silos between general and special education and the RRCP staff have the capacity to assist states in working across agencies to ensure that each and every student is afforded the opportunity of a quality education. Witness the level of activity, to date, that RRCP staff have been involved in around the ESEA waivers and it is clear that the RRCP staff are not only being included in the conversations around the ESEA waivers in states, but have been active partners in implementation, as well.