ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Elementary School Students' Perceptions of the Future Environment through Artwork
Author: Özsoy, Sibel
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Students,Student Attitudes,Environmental Education,Grade 1,Grade 2,Grade 3,Grade 4,Grade 5,Student Surveys,Freehand Drawing,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis,Pollution,Conservation (Environment),Place of Residence,Age Differences,Gender Differences,Natural Resources,Knowledge Level,Foreign Countries,Geographic Location,Content Analysis,Technology

The purpose of the present study is to investigate first level of elementary school students' perceptions of the future state of the environment through the pictures they draw. The participants of the study are 131 first-grade students, 127 second-grade students, 160 third-grade students, 188 fourth-grade students, and 222 fifth-grade students, totaling 828 students. The study used the survey method, one of the descriptive research methods, to collect data. More specifically, the draw-and-explain technique, in which participants were asked to draw a picture about the environment and then explain their drawings, was used to collect data. In the analysis of the data, both qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods were employed. When the data were analyzed, it was found that 28.5% of the students held perceptions of a clean future environment, that 40.3% held perceptions of a polluted future environment, and 31.2% held perceptions of technological future environment. While a significant difference based on the region of residence and grade level was found in students' perceptions of the future state of the environment, gender did not yield a significant difference. The elementary school students' drawings mostly include elements such as trees, the sun, clouds, humans, birds, butterflies, houses, apartment buildings, mountains, seas, rivers, garbage, and dust bins. When the students' drawings were analyzed, it was found that the students mostly include environmental problems that they were more likely to see in their close environments, such as air pollution, soil pollution, over construction, and traffic. It was also found that students had a limited awareness of the types of pollution and of living and non-living organisms in the environment.
Incorporating Video-Mediated Reflective Tasks in MATESOL Programs
Author: Payant, Caroline
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Masters Programs,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Language Teachers,Teacher Education,Qualitative Research,Microteaching,Self Concept,Professional Identity,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Educational Practices,Reflective Teaching,Practicums,Graduate Students,Student Attitudes

Unlike the observed trends in general teacher education, the use of videos as a reflective tool with preservice English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers remains underexplored in MATESOL (Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) programs. The present qualitative study examined how 5 nonnative- speaking preservice teachers used the videos of their own microteaching performances to mediate their reflective practices. The results from the qualitative analysis of the participants' post-microteaching reflective reports showed that they used videos to explore their professional and non-native identities, practical knowledge base, and pedagogical knowledge base. The results are discussed with respect to their implications for educational practice with preservice ESL teachers.
Facebook: Facilitating Social Access and Language Acquisition for International Students?
Author: Lee, Kent
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Social Networks,Computer Mediated Communication,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Student Attitudes,Correlation,Language Proficiency,Oral Language,Foreign Students,Native Speakers,Interpersonal Relationship,Foreign Countries,Questionnaires,Online Surveys,Adult Students

Many international students come to Canada to improve their English language proficiency and develop friendships with Canadians and other international students. However, gaining access to host nationals (i.e., Canadians) is not an easy task for most English as a second language (ESL) learners. Factors such as language proficiency may hamper students' ability to build relationships with English speakers, which in turn contributes negatively to linguistic development and psychological well-being. One way we can help ESL students interact outside of class is to use a social networking site such as Facebook. The present study surveyed adult ESL students about their use of Facebook and whether that use was associated with social connections with host nationals. Results from the survey of 125 international students at a Canadian university show that the majority of students were using Facebook. Correlation analyses suggest weak associations between (a) Facebook use and social connections with the local community and (b) Facebook use and self-assessed language proficiency, with the strongest association being to oral proficiency. Simply possessing a Facebook account is unlikely to increase social connectedness with host nationals. Suggestions for language teachers on integrating Facebook into their classes are provided.
Mobile Distance Learning with Smartphones and Apps in Higher Education
Author: Vázquez-Cano, Esteban
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Telecommunications,Computer Oriented Programs,Handheld Devices,College Students,Statistical Analysis,Student Attitudes,Foreign Countries,Distance Education,Educational Technology,Curriculum Design,Questionnaires,Qualitative Research,Factor Analysis,Technology Uses in Education,Instructional Effectiveness

In this paper, the results of researcher' ongoing activities regarding the use of smartphones and a specific subject-app used at the Spanish National University of Distance Education (UNED) have been reported. The purpose of this trial is to assess the app's didactic use and potential to enhance student learning in university subjects in ubiquitous environments and developing generic competencies according to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). To this end, a scale has been developed and validated to identify these factors based on the participation of 388 students from the class &quot;Curriculum design and innovation&quot; within the &quot;University Degree in Pedagogy&quot; program. This study has been developed through two perspectives; the first being through a descriptive methodology in which the current researcher has detailed the creation process of an app. The second perspective being through a quantitative methodology in which students' perceptions regarding the capabilities of smartphones and apps for improving learning processes in university subjects were assessed. The conclusions indicate that the use of apps developed specifically for following university subjects is highly valued by students as a new format which both supports and enhances learning practices while also providing not only further opportunities to establish connections and relations with their subjects, but also fostering collaborative work among students and professors. Therefore, it is recommended that universities continue developing new didactic strategies to connect both formal-informal and face-to-face ubiquitous learning settings.
Palestinian EFL Teachers' Attitudes towards English Textbooks Used at the First Three Grades of Elementary School
Author: Hammad, Enas Abdullah Rajab
Date: 2014-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Elementary School Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Textbooks,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Positive Attitudes,Questionnaires,Semi Structured Interviews,Cultural Background,Student Needs,Grammar,Vocabulary Development,Second Language Instruction,Teaching Guides,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis

Evaluating language materials is very useful for language teachers, and one essential consideration in evaluating language materials is obtaining the teachers' views on its value (Tomlinson, 2003). Thus, this study aimed to explore Palestinian English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers' attitudes towards the different aspects of the English textbooks used at the first three grades of elementary school in Gaza, &quot;English for Palestine.&quot; The data of the study were collected through administering a questionnaire to 70 teachers and conducting semi-­structured interviews with 12 teachers selected from the seventy. The results revealed that the participants had positive (high) attitudes towards the English materials in that the topics in such materials were perceived by the teachers to be relevant to pupils' cultural background and needs. However, the teachers had some problems related to the large number of unfamiliar words and the inadequacy of the time devoted to delivering the materials.
Evaluation of Twitter Users Writings about Teachers in Turkey
Author: Yavuz, Mustafa
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Social Networks,Computer Mediated Communication,Electronic Publishing,Web Sites,Student Evaluation of Teacher Performance,Discourse Analysis,Content Analysis,Salaries,Teacher Behavior,Teacher Effectiveness,Educational Practices,Teacher Student Relationship,Teacher Competencies,Educational Policy,Public Policy,Student Attitudes

As a social sharing network whose number of users worldwide continues to rapidly increase, Twitter has become an active network for individuals to share their thoughts and feelings at any given time. The purpose of this work, then, is to evaluate Twitter users of Turkey in terms of how they write about their teachers on Twitter. In order to collect research data, the document analysis, a qualitative research method, was used to collect data during the first quarter of 2012. Specifically, Turkish Twitter users' writings containing the &quot;teacher&quot; were analyzed using the content analysis method. When tweets (articles) containing the word &quot;teacher&quot; were examined, prominent emerging themes were discovered, including issues relating to teacher appointments, their low salary, criticisms of Turkey's ministry of national education and its training systems, the value given to teachers as a community, teachers' inadequacies, teachers' unfair practices, and clichéd statements and words stereotypically used by teachers in the classroom.
Teachers' Views on Digital Educational Tools in English Language Learning: Benefits and Challenges in the Turkish Context
Author: Çelik, Servet
Date: 2014-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Language Proficiency,Student Attitudes,Language Teachers,Educational Technology,Teaching Methods,Technology Integration,Interviews,Elementary School Teachers,Secondary School Teachers,Access to Computers,Internet

Despite the clear benefits provided by digital educational tools, Turkish teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) are often seen as failing to take advantage of computing technologies in the classroom. Deficiencies in terms of teachers' digital literacies are often faulted for this omission. The majority of studies concerning Turkish EFL teachers' technology use have focused on measurable aspects of their skills and practice. However, the researchers believed that the perceptions of Turkish teachers of English concerning their own level of competence, as well as other issues involved in applying digital tools, could provide insight into whether educators have the capacity to take full advantage of available learning technologies. Accordingly, a series of interviews was applied with 6 elementary and high school teachers. The results revealed that, in contrast to much of the existing research, the participants felt generally confident about their level of skill in applying these resources. Furthermore, they found digital tools to be motivating and to improve students' attitudes toward language learning, as well as increasing their proficiency. On the other hand, limited access to computers and the Internet often prevented teachers from taking advantage of digital media in their teaching.
Self-­Regulated Learning, Goal-­Oriented Learning, and Academic Writing Performance of Undergraduate Iranian EFL Learners
Author: Farsani, Mohammad Amini
Date: 2014-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Metacognition,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Majors (Students),Foreign Countries,Learning Strategies,Goal Orientation,Questionnaires,Correlation,Writing Skills,Writing Processes,Self Management,Student Attitudes,Statistical Analysis,Undergraduate Students

This study is grounded in three theories of self-­regulation, goal-­orientation, and the act of writing. The authors collected the data from 48 Iranian EFL B.A. level students majoring in English in different universities in Iran. The instruments consisted of two questionnaires: a goal-oriented questionnaire developed and employed by the authors, and the &quot;Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire&quot; (&quot;MSLQ&quot;) developed by Pintrich (1991), along with three writing tasks. The findings revealed no significant relationship between self-regulated learning and writing performance. However, a negative relationship was found between students' use of cognitive and metacognitive strategies and their writing performance. The relationship between students' resource management strategies and their writing performance was not significant. Finally, there was no significant relationship between goal-­oriented learning and writing performance. The findings of the current study are discussed in relation to the previous literature and some implications of the study are suggested.
Corrective Feedback and Student Uptakes in English Immersion Classrooms in Japan: Is the Counter-Balance Hypothesis Valid?
Author: Sakurai, Shogo
Date: 2014-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Error Correction,Feedback (Response),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Immersion Programs,Teaching Methods,English (Second Language),Linguistic Theory,Classroom Communication,Mathematics Instruction,Science Instruction,Observation,Student Characteristics,Elementary School Students,Elementary School Teachers,Statistical Analysis

There are a number of studies on teachers' corrective feedback and students' uptakes in immersion settings, but the majority is carried out in the North American context. Based on limited data, &quot;the counter­-balance hypothesis&quot; was proposed by Lyster and Mori (2006) to explain distributions of teacher feedback and students' uptakes in French and Japanese immersion classrooms. In order to shed further light, the current study explores (1) how the distribution of teacher feedback and students' uptakes are observed in an English immersion school in Japan (i.e., the Asian context), and (2) whether the data supports the counter­-balance hypothesis. From observing three English immersion teachers' and their students' classroom talk in math and science lessons, their utterances were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. The results revealed that the pattern of teacher feedback was similar to that of the previous findings but not the pattern of students' uptakes and that the counter­-balance hypothesis could not explain this phenomenon.
Metaphor and Second Language Learning: The State of the Field
Author: Hoang, Ha
Date: 2014-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Learning,Figurative Language,State of the Art Reviews,Scholarship,Linguistic Competence,Language Proficiency,Literature Reviews

Once considered a stylistic issue, metaphor is now considered a critical component of everyday and specialized language and most importantly, a fundamental mechanism of human conceptualizations of the world. The use of metaphor in language, thought and communication has been examined in second language (L2) learning. The body of literature that investigates the relationship between metaphor and L2 learning has increased significantly, with most studies revolving around the Conceptual Metaphor Theory and receptive learning or metaphorical competence. This review aims to provide a comprehensive picture of current scholarship in the area and draw scholarly attention to other unexplored areas of metaphor and L2 learning.
Learner Washback Variability in Standardized Exit Tests
Author: Pan, Yi-Ching
Date: 2014-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Standardized Tests,Exit Examinations,Questionnaires,College Students,English Language Learners,English (Second Language),Learning Strategies,Test Preparation,Language Skills,Learning Activities,Comparative Analysis,Comparative Testing,Motivation,Language Proficiency,After School Education,Time Factors (Learning),Student Attitudes,Predictor Variables,Test Theory,Foreign Countries,Test Wiseness,Cohort Analysis

In much of the world, the issue of accountability and measurement of educational outcomes is highly controversial. Exit testing is part of the movement to ascertain what students have learned and hold institutions and teachers to account. However, compared to the large number of teacher washback studies, learner washback research is lacking (Cheng, 2008). By exploring standardized exit test washback in Taiwan, this study aims to test Alderson and Wall's hypotheses (1993) regarding learner washback variability, namely that a test will influence 1) degree/depth of learning, 2) attitudes toward methods of learning, and 3) some learners but not others. This study is one of very few washback studies that compare learner behaviors before and after the introduction of exit tests, thereby obtaining a clearer picture of washback effects on learners. Questionnaires and scores on two exit tests (GEPT and TOEIC) were collected from 589 Taiwanese university students before and after the introduction of English exit tests in Taiwan. This study highlights the differential effects of exit requirements for different groups of learners depending on their years of study, proficiency levels, and viewpoints of tests.
The Impact of Isolation on the Job Satisfaction of New Principals
Author: Bauer, Scott C.
Date: 2013-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Professional Isolation,Beginning Principals,Quality of Working Life,Job Satisfaction,Regression (Statistics),Faculty Workload,Administrator Role,Social Support Groups,Coaching (Performance),Online Surveys,Administrator Attitudes

Professional isolation has hampered the quality of the work experience for employees inside and outside public education for decades. This study explores the role that isolation plays in predicting the quality of the work experience among new principals. The analysis tests whether isolation serves as a mediator in the relationship between factors that are known to affect the quality of work life of principals (social support; role ambiguity, role conflict, and role overload; and participation in a structured coaching relationship) and the job satisfaction of new principals. Regression analysis shows that isolation fully mediates the relationship between social support and job satisfaction and partially mediates the relationship between role ambiguity and job satisfaction.
ELL High School Students' Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategy Use and Reading Proficiency
Author: Hong-Nam, Kay
Date: 2014-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: High School Students,Metacognition,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Reading Strategies,Reading Skills,Correlation,Problem Solving,Limited English Speaking,Measures (Individuals),Language Proficiency,Standardized Tests,Student Attitudes,Student Characteristics,Surveys

This study investigated the metacognitive awareness and reading strategies use of high school-­aged English language learners (ELLs) and the relationship between ELL reading strategy use and reading proficiency as measured by a standardized reading test and self-­rated reading proficiency. Results reveal that participants reported moderate use of reading strategies overall. Problem-­solving strategies were most preferred by ELLs, followed by Global Reading strategies and Support Reading strategies. Although the differences in strategy use by reading proficiency were not statistically significant, ELLs with intermediate proficiency in reading reported using more strategies. Finally, ELLs who considered themselves advanced readers reported using more strategies.
Thai Elementary School Teachers' English Pronunciation and Effects of Teacher Variables: Professional Development
Author: Kanoksilapatham, Budsaba
Date: 2014-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Teachers,Pronunciation Instruction,Statistical Analysis,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Faculty Development,Foreign Countries,Questionnaires,Teacher Attitudes,Phonology,Language Tests,Scores,Syllables,Difficulty Level,Language Proficiency,Language Teachers,Teacher Characteristics

The objectives of this study are to describe 147 Thai elementary school teachers' English pronunciation competence and to identify a teacher variable that has an impact on their pronunciation. The instrument used to collect data consisted of two parts: a questionnaire to elicit Thai teachers' personal information (i.e., seven variables in all), and a stress identification test consisting of 50 multisyllabic words. The test scores were used to help describe Thai teachers' pronunciation competence, whereas the test scores in conjunction with the personal information were quantitatively analyzed by ANOVAs or sample t­-tests to identify the extent to which each variable contributed to the teachers' test scores. The results show that Thai teachers have difficulty identifying stressed syllables in English. In addition, among the seven variables explored, the teachers' major of study was found to be the potential factor which significantly impacted the test scores. Findings from this study are important for informing the professional development of English teachers in Thailand.