ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Somatic and Functional Status of Boys from Various Social and Environmental Categories
Author: Domaradzki, Jaroslaw
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Body Height,Reaction Time,Foreign Countries,Pollution,Males,Adolescents,Physical Education,Body Composition,Parents,Educational Attainment,Parent Background,Physical Fitness

Study aim: To assess the somatic and fitness status of adolescent boys from polluted industrial areas. Material and methods: A group of 313 boys aged 11-15 years from 5 villages located in the copper mine area in South-Western Poland were classified by the degree of lead and cadmium pollution (high--very high) and by parents' education (primary--secondary or higher). Somatic (body height and mass, BMI, body fat content) and functional (handgrip strength, standing broad jump, sit-and-reach, plate tapping, 1-kg medicinal ball throw, reaction time) were recorded. The data were standardised against age-specific means and standard deviations and subjected to two-way ANOVA. Results: Boys from more polluted area had significantly (p less than 0.01) higher BMI than those from the less polluted one but only when their parents had primary education. Explosive strength was significantly higher in the less polluted area (p less than 0.05) and when parents had higher than primary education (p less than 0.01). In case of reaction speed only the degree of environmental pollution had significant effect (p less than 0.05), no significant effects being noted for other variables. Conclusions: The results pointed to the importance of parents' education in shaping health-directed behaviours, which may compensate for the negative impact of a degraded environment. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)
Beyond the Labor Market Paradigm: A Social Network Perspective on Teacher Recruitment and Retention
Author: Baker-Doyle, Kira
Date: 2010-10-20
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Labor Market,Teacher Recruitment,Teacher Supply and Demand,Faculty Mobility,Teacher Persistence,Social Influences,Human Capital,Social Networks,Teaching Conditions,Teacher Education,Faculty Development,Social Capital,Holistic Approach,Educational Policy

This article identifies limits of the dominant labor market perspective (LMP) in research on teacher recruitment and retention and describes how research that incorporates a social network perspective (SNP) can contribute to the knowledge base and development of teacher education, staffing, and professional development approaches. A discussion of current literature on teachers' social networks and a case example of social network perspective research highlight how such research reveals complex social factors that shape teachers' workplace experiences and show the ways in which the labor market perspective tends have a "recruitment-heavy" focus. The article describes how the social network perspective allows researchers to study social workplace concerns from both macro and micro perspectives. This approach can broaden the current focus on recruitment to a more comprehensive understanding of recruitment and retention. (Contains 2 footnotes.)
Postural Variables in Girls Practicing Volleyball
Author: Grabara, Malgorzata
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Body Height,Team Sports,Females,Human Posture,Athletes,Adolescents,Body Composition,Body Weight,Comparative Analysis,Secondary School Students,Foreign Countries

Study aim: To assess body posture of young female volleyball players in relation to their untrained mates. Material and methods: A group of 42 volleyball players and another of 43 untrained girls, all aged 13-16 years were studied with respect to their body posture indices by using computer posturography. Spinal angles and curvatures were measured, and asymmetry and body posture type were assessed. Body height and mass, BMI and body fat content (by bioimpedance technique) were determined. Results: As compared with untrained girls, the volleyball players were more slender, the positions of shoulders and pelvis being more symmetrical, and shoulder blades and waist triangles were more asymmetrical. Volleyball players were predominantly kyphotic, their lumbar lordosis was flattened and head protruded, especially in those having longer training experience. Conclusions: The observed asymmetries brought about by unilateral training loads and progressing thoracic kyphosis call for applying corrective and/or yoga exercises to adolescent female volleyball players. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)
Distortion or Clarification: Defining Highly Qualified Teachers and the Relationship between Certification and Achievement
Author: Marszalek, Jacob M.
Date: 2010-11-10
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Academic Achievement,High Stakes Tests,Teacher Qualifications,Teacher Certification,Correlation,Teacher Education,Educational Indicators,Standardized Tests,National Standards,Alternative Teacher Certification,Institutional Characteristics,Educational Policy,Educational Improvement,Instructional Program Divisions,Mathematics Education,Teaching Experience,Teacher Characteristics,Student Characteristics,Low Income Groups,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Teaching Skills,Elementary Schools,Junior High Schools,Middle Schools,High Schools,Language Arts

Recent studies of the relationship between teacher preparation pathways and student achievement have resulted in similar statistics but contradictory conclusions. These studies as a group have several limits: they sometimes focus on student-level indicators when many policy decisions are made with indicators at the school-level or above, are limited to specific urban locations or grade levels, or neglect the potential influence of building type, as defined as the grade-levels serviced. Using statewide data from the 2004-2005 school year, we examined the relationships between school-level indicators of student achievement on nationally-normed tests and proportions of alternatively certified teachers, while controlling for building type and other relevant covariates. Our findings indicate that the relationship between teacher preparation and student achievement at the school level depends on whether the building mixes multiple grade levels (e.g., elementary and middle). The implications of Missouri's policy change for research and school improvement are discussed with respect to the current high-stakes testing environment. (Contains 2 footnotes and 9 tables.)
The Changing Distribution of Teacher Qualifications across Schools: A Statewide Perspective Post-NCLB
Author: DeAngelis, Karen J.
Date: 2010-11-20
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Improvement,Teacher Qualifications,Teacher Recruitment,Educational Policy,Context Effect,Longitudinal Studies,Teacher Distribution,Academic Achievement,Data Analysis,Low Income Groups,Minority Group Students,Beginning Teachers

A number of recent policy initiatives, including NCLB's highly qualified teacher provisions, have sought to improve the qualifications of teachers and their distribution across schools. Little is known, however, about the impact of these policies. In this study, we use population data on teachers and schools in Illinois to examine changes in the level and distribution of teacher qualifications from 2001 to 2006. We find that schools in Chicago, especially those serving the highest percentages of low-income and minority students, experienced the greatest improvements in teacher qualifications during the period. Although positive changes in teachers' academic qualifications in Illinois were not restricted to the state's largest urban district, the results were more mixed in non-Chicago locales. The employment of new teachers with stronger academic skills and reductions in the employment of new and experienced teachers without full certification contributed to these outcomes. Our results suggest that a number of policy initiatives, including NCLB's highly qualified teacher provisions, the introduction of alternative route programs in Illinois, and Chicago's comprehensive efforts to recruit talented new teachers, together had a positive impact on the level and distribution of teacher qualifications. Even so, Illinois has a long way to go before disparities in teacher qualifications across its schools are eliminated. (Contains 5 tables, 7 figures and 10 footnotes.)
Examining the Effects of School Composition on North Carolina Student Achievement over Time
Author: Southworth, Stephanie
Date: 2010-11-30
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Effectiveness,Poverty,Reading Achievement,Grade 8,Racial Composition,Mathematics Achievement,Racial Factors,Grade 4,Grade 6,Student Characteristics,Family Influence,Educational Environment,Teacher Competencies,Educational Resources,Equal Education,Class Size,Expenditure per Student,Gender Differences,Socioeconomic Influences,Extracurricular Activities,Academically Gifted,Prior Learning,Access to Computers,Television Viewing,Parent Influence,Educational Attainment,Homework

This study explores the effects of school-level characteristics on North Carolina students' reading and math achievement from fourth through eighth grade, focusing on the relationships between achievement and the racial and poverty composition of schools. After creating race-by-poverty cohorts of schools, I use multilevel models to examine math and reading achievement for the same students in fourth, sixth, and eighth grades. The racial and poverty composition of schools affect student achievement after factoring in student, family, and other school influences. In addition, increasing teacher quality and school resources reduces but does not eliminate the effects of school racial and poverty composition on student achievement. Policies leading to reductions in racial and poverty isolation in schools and increases in teacher quality should be pursued to guarantee equality of educational opportunities to all children in North Carolina schools. (Contains 12 tables, 3 footnotes and 2 figures.)
The STEM Pipeline: The Role of Summer Research Experience in Minority Students' Ph.D. Aspirations
Author: Pender, Matea
Date: 2010-12-10
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: STEM Education,Science Careers,Graduate Students,Masters Degrees,Minority Group Students,Doctoral Programs,Scholarships,Educational Strategies,Summer Programs,Research,Internship Programs,Predictor Variables,Educational Attainment

Practical research experience has been seen as an important tool to enhance learning in STEM fields and shape commitment to science careers. Indeed, this was a prominent recommendation of the Boyer Commission. Further, there is evidence this is especially important for minority students. In this paper, we examine the role of practical research experience during the summer for talented minority undergraduates in STEM fields. We focus on the link between summer research and STEM Ph.D. program matriculation. We examine evidence on this question using detailed data on students participating in the Meyerhoff Scholarship Program over a 14 year period at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Our results provide evidence of strong positive effects of summer research on participation in STEM Ph.D. programs. Further, we show that the effects of summer research vary with the frequency and timing of these experiences. The evidence that educational strategies such as summer research experiences improve academic outcomes of minorities is vital, given concern about the science pipeline in the U.S. and the continuing growth in the racial/ethnic diversity of the college-age population. (Contains 7 tables, 2 figures and 13 footnotes.)
Cognitive Support in Teaching Football Techniques
Author: Duda, Henryk
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Physical Education,Team Sports,Physical Fitness,Imagery,Teaching Methods,Cognitive Ability,Females,Psychomotor Skills,Correlation

Study aim: To improve the teaching of football techniques by applying cognitive and imagery techniques. Material and methods: Four groups of subjects, n = 32 each, were studied: male and female physical education students aged 20-21 years, not engaged previously in football training; male juniors and minors, aged 16 and 13 years, respectively, attending mastery School of Sports (football); their training experience amounted to 6 and 3 years, respectively. Every group was divided into two subgroups (n = 16 each)--control and experimental. All subjects underwent a course consisting of 40 sessions lasting 90 min each, once weekly. Before and at the end of study period the participants were subjected to 3 specific tests assessing their knowledge, motor fitness and game skills. Results: Subjects from all experimental groups achieved significantly (mostly p less than 0.001) better results than the respective control groups in all three areas--knowledge, motor fitness and game skills. The levels of acquired knowledge significantly (p less than 0.05-0.001) correlated with specific motor fitness and game skills in all groups of subjects. Conclusions: Cognitive approach improves the results teaching football techniques and may serve as a valuable tool in training. (Contains 2 figures and 5 tables.)
Rethinking Mentoring: Comparing Policy and Practice in Special and General Education
Author: Washburn-Moses, Leah
Date: 2010-12-30
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mentors,General Education,Special Education,Special Education Teachers,Teacher Collaboration,Board of Education Policy,Comparative Analysis,Compliance (Legal),Urban Schools,Beginning Teachers,Beginning Teacher Induction

Although teacher mentoring is now mandated in most states, high quality research in mentoring remains scarce (Rockoff, 2008). There is a great need to understand how such policies are implemented (Smith, 2007), particularly in teaching areas with high shortages. The purpose of this study is to compare state and district mentoring policies with practices in special and general education. Survey data were collected from 232 teachers in one state and compared with policy information from the Teacher Rules, Roles, and Rights (TR[superscript 3]) database. Results indicated uneven implementation of policy, in that some stated policy was not adhered to consistently, and consistency in practices was seen in the absence of other policy. Further, special education teachers reported less compliance with some mentoring policies than general education teachers. A new model is proposed to encourage implementation of research-validated practices in teacher mentoring. (Contains 4 tables and 2 figures.)
Choice without Equity: Charter School Segregation
Author: Frankenberg, Erica
Date: 2011-01-10
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Charter Schools,School Segregation,Metropolitan Areas,Minority Groups,White Students,Equal Education,School Choice,Correlation,Urban Schools,Enrollment Trends,Student Characteristics,Public Schools,Social Class,Low Income Groups,English (Second Language),Racial Composition,African American Students,Hispanic American Students,Asian American Students,American Indians,Geographic Location,Suburban Schools,Rural Schools

The political popularity of charter schools is unmistakable. This article explores the relationship between charter schools and segregation across the country, in 40 states, the District of Columbia, and several dozen metropolitan areas with large enrollments of charter school students in 2007-08. The descriptive analysis of the charter school enrollment is aimed at understanding the characteristics of students enrolled in charter schools and the extent to which charter school students are segregated, including how charter school segregation compare to students in traditional public schools. This article examines these questions at different levels, aggregating school-level enrollment to explore patterns among metropolitan areas, states, and the nation using three national datasets. Our findings suggest that charters currently isolate students by race and class. This analysis of recent data finds that charter schools are more racially isolated than traditional public schools in virtually every state and large metropolitan area in the nation. In some regions, white students are overrepresented in charter schools while in other charter schools; minority students have little exposure to white students. Data about the extent to which charter schools serve low-income and English Language Learners is incomplete, but suggest that a substantial share of charter schools may not enroll such students. As charters represent an increasing share of our public schools, they influence the level of segregation experienced by all of our nation's school-aged children. After two decades, the promise of charter schools to use choice to foster integration and equality in American education has yet to be realized. (Contains 50 footnotes, 46 tables and 9 figures.)
Teacher Community in Urban Elementary Schools: The Role of Leadership and Bureaucratic Accountability
Author: Weathers, John M.
Date: 2011-01-30
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Accountability,School Personnel,Leadership,Collegiality,Organizational Climate,Urban Schools,Elementary Schools,Theory Practice Relationship,Academic Achievement,Regression (Statistics),School Policy,Academic Standards,State Standards,Teacher Collaboration,Educational Administration,Elementary School Teachers,Public Schools,Predictor Variables

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of principal leadership and accountability policies on teachers' sense of community. This study is situated within the research and policy/practice discourse over the importance of schools developing a professional community of teachers who share common values, cooperate in support of these values, and a have sense of mutual accountability as a means of improving student achievement. However, to date, few studies have examined the effect of leadership practices and accountability policies on teacher communities, and these studies do not conceptualize and measure teacher community in line with theories of community. Additionally, there is a pervasive and mostly untested belief by advocates of teacher professionalization that top-down management, standards, and accountability policies are antithetical to teacher communities. Data for this study come from the National Center for Education Statistics' (NCES) Schools and Staffing Survey (1999-2000). A two-level multilevel regression analysis was used with a public school urban elementary (K-5) subset of the SASS data. Principal leadership has a very strong positive effect on teacher community--the strongest effect of any policy-amenable variable. Significant principal actions include: recognizing teacher effort and communicating expectations; and a principal's direct efforts to build community among teachers. The effect of teacher classroom control and policy influence is significant, but reduced by measures of principal leadership. Teachers' use of standards is associated with a sense of community, but a somewhat limited measure of school performance-based accountability has no association. (Contains 9 tables and 7 footnotes.)
A Preliminary Investigation of Continuous and Intermittent Exposures in the Treatment of Public Speaking Anxiety
Author: Seim, Richard W.
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Metabolism,Public Speaking,Anxiety Disorders,Therapy,Intervention,Outcomes of Treatment,Time,Fear,Conditioning

It is often argued that exposure-based treatments for anxiety disorders are only effective if the exposures are presented continuously until a marked decrement in anxiety is achieved (e.g. Foa & Kozak, 1986). However, the data supporting this conclusion is limited. This study compared two treatments for public speaking anxiety: one requiring participants to give one long speech on 3-5 topics (i.e. prolonged exposure) and another treatment which required participants to give a series of 30 s speeches divided by 30 s breaks (i.e. dosed exposures). Results indicated that the series of brief exposures was equally efficacious to the prolonged exposure in reducing subjective feelings of anxiety, and it produced greater reductions in public speaking anxiety, physiological arousal (i.e. heart rate), and behavioral avoidance. In addition, fewer behavioral indices of distress, on average, were incurred by this treatment. If shown to be effective across a larger sample and a wider range of anxiety disorders, this method of exposure therapy may provide a less aversive alternative to traditional exposure-based interventions. (Contains 2 figures and 1 table.)
Social Anxiety Disorder and Social Skills: A Critical Review of the Literature
Author: Angelico, Antonio Paulo
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Criticism,Anxiety,Interpersonal Competence,Correlation,Therapy,Generalization,Content Analysis,Intervention,Comparative Analysis,Research Reports,Measures (Individuals)

The objective of this article is to present a critical analysis of the research outlines used in empirical studies published between the years 2000 and March of 2007 about social anxiety disorder and its associations with social skills. Seventeen papers were identified and grouped into two classes for analysis, namely: Characterization of Social Skills Repertoire (N = 10) and Therapeutical Modalities--Application and Comparison of Clinical Intervention (N = 7). The critical analysis of the research outlines pointed to the necessity of new studies with clinical and non-clinical samples, with random allocation of individuals, with the proposition of contextualized interaction tasks, in order to support the generalization as to the association of the social skills and social anxiety disorder, and to demonstrate the functionality and process by which anxiety interferes with social performance. (Contains 3 tables.)
Efficient Class-Wide Remediation: Using Technology to Identify Idiosyncratic Math Facts for Additional Automaticity Drills
Author: Parkhurst, John
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Multiplication,Remedial Instruction,Drills (Practice),Low Achievement,Grade 5,Elementary School Students,Computer Software,Mathematics Instruction,Instructional Effectiveness,Educational Technology

A multiple baseline design was used to evaluate the effects of a modified Detect, Practice, and Repair (DPR) procedure on multiplication-fact fluency with 10 low-achieving 5th-grade students. Experimenters modified the DPR procedure using Microsoft[C] PowerPoint[C] slide shows to conduct the assessments and allow for more rapid self-evaluation in order to identify target facts. Next, each student completed the cover, copy, and compare (CCC) practice procedures only on the problems which he/she did not answer correctly within 3 s. Results suggest that the procedure enhanced multiplication fact fluency across all 10 students. However, increasing baseline data on the third list of problems hindered interpretation of effects. The discussion focuses on improving skill remediation by using efficient procedures for creating idiosyncratic curricula. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)
Therapist's Directive and Nondirective Behavior: Analysis of Their Effects in a Parent Training Group
Author: Silveira, Fabiane Ferraz
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Counseling Techniques,Counselor Client Relationship,Group Therapy,Intervention,Mothers,Grandparents,Parent Education,Behavior Patterns

The study described the interaction between therapist and clients in a group intervention with two mothers and a grandmother. Five out of thirteen taped sessions were designated for analysis. Main results: a) therapist's categories that stood out: approval, recommendation, interpretation, information and information request; b) clients' categories that stood out: report, agreement, relation, and opposition; c) the probability for recommendation coupled with use of approval exceeded the probability of occurrence of other combinations. Possible explanations for the results were offered and new research questions were raised. (Contains 4 figures and 1 table.)