ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Influence of the Rewards and Recognition Scheme on Higher Vocational Education Curriculum Reform in China
Author: Chen, Hao
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Rewards,Recognition (Achievement),Higher Education,Vocational Education,Educational Change,Competition,Qualitative Research,Department Heads,Administrator Attitudes,Semi Structured Interviews,Curriculum Implementation,Educational Finance,Guidelines,Educational Equity (Finance),Curriculum Evaluation,Phenomenology

This paper reviews the impact of the rewards and recognition scheme on curriculum reform in higher vocational education (HVE) in China. In this scheme, teachers and students can win rewards and obtain recognition through curriculum competitions and student skill competitions conducted by the government. It has been used to encourage and to support colleges and teachers to implement HVE curriculum reform. The qualitative research project into HVE curriculum reform reported here identified both the facilitative and inhibitory effects of the scheme on curriculum reform. Discipline heads' perspectives of these influences were investigated through in-depth interviews. The scheme was seen as motivating just a slight majority of discipline heads to implement curriculum reform and as providing financial support in doing so. The discipline heads, though, also indicated that they were discouraged by the scheme's misleading guidelines, its inappropriate evaluations of their efforts and its contribution to funding inequalities.
Engagement Matters: Student Perceptions on the Importance of Engagement Strategies in the Online Learning Environment
Author: Martin, Florence
Date: 2018-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Learner Engagement,Student Attitudes,Electronic Learning,Online Courses,Asynchronous Communication,Synchronous Communication,Educational Environment,Case Studies,Graduate Students,Teacher Student Relationship,Distance Education,Online Surveys,Likert Scales,Gender Differences,Age Differences,Statistical Analysis

Student engagement increases student satisfaction, enhances student motivation to learn, reduces the sense of isolation, and improves student performance in online courses. This survey-based research study examines student perception on various engagement strategies used in online courses based on Moore's interaction framework. One hundred and fifty-five students completed a 38-item survey on learner-to-learner, learner-to-instructor, and learner-to-content engagement strategies. Learner-to-instructor engagement strategies seemed to be most valued among the three categories. Icebreaker/introduction discussions and working collaboratively using online communication tools were rated the most beneficial engagement strategies in the learner-to-learner category, whereas sending regular announcements or email reminders and providing grading rubrics for all assignments were rated most beneficial in learner-to-instructor category. In the learner-content category, students mentioned working on real-world projects and having discussions with structured or guiding questions were the most beneficial. This study also analyzed the effect of age, gender, and years of online learning experience differences on students' perception of engagement strategies. The results of the study have implications for online instructors, instructional designers, and administrators who wish to enhance engagement in the online courses.
Effectiveness of Full (Comprehensive) Preparatory Units for College Study Abroad Field Trips
Author: Otten, Mark R. M.
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Study Abroad,Field Trips,Program Effectiveness,Online Surveys,Participant Satisfaction,Cross Cultural Training,Units of Study,Readiness,Likert Scales,Familiarity,Student Satisfaction,Critical Thinking,Capacity Building,College Students,Foreign Countries,Statistical Analysis

Research shows that students are likely to experience novelty (unfamiliarity) at field trip locations, resulting in extended, unproductive disorientation and inhibition of learning. Carefully-planned preparatory units, delivered prior to the field trip experience, have been shown to mitigate the negative effects of novelty. Anonymous online surveys and written responses to critical thinking questions were used to assess the effect of full (comprehensive) pre-field trip preparatory units on measures potentially influenced by novelty during a 25-day college study abroad program. Survey responses indicate that full preparatory units did not significantly affect student perception of readiness or location familiarity. While few statistically-significant differences were detected, data suggests that full preparatory units probably enhanced student satisfaction with the field trip experience and fostered better performance on critical thinking assessments. These findings support the conclusion that full preparatory units were, on the whole, more beneficial to learning during study abroad field trips than were minimal preparatory units. Findings also suggest that college students may not suffer the negative effects of novelty as intensely as younger students and that the physical size and complexity of the field trip location may reduce student confidence in navigating the location and slow student completion of on-location tasks.
Comparing the Factors That Predict Completion and Grades among For-Credit and Open/MOOC Students in Online Learning
Author: Almeda, Ma. Victoria
Date: 2018-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Performance Factors,Online Courses,Electronic Learning,Models,Noncredit Courses,College Credits,Comparative Analysis,Pass Fail Grading,Predictive Validity,Predictive Measurement,Regression (Statistics),Generalization,Educational Technology,College Students,Academic Persistence,Statistical Analysis

Online education continues to become an increasingly prominent part of higher education, but many students struggle in distance courses. For this reason, there has been considerable interest in predicting which students will succeed in online courses and which will receive poor grades or drop out prior to completion. Effective intervention depends on understanding which students are at risk in terms of actionable factors, and behavior within an online course is one key potential factor for intervention. In recent years, many have suggested that Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) are a particularly useful place to conduct research into behavior and interventions, given both their size and the relatively low consequences and costs of experimentation. However, it is not yet clear whether the same factors are associated with student success in open courses, such as MOOCs, as in for-credit courses--an important consideration before transferring research results between these two contexts. While there has been considerable research in each context, differences between course design and population limit our ability to know how broadly findings generalize; differences between studies may have nothing to do with whether students are taking a course for credit or as a MOOC. Do learners behave the same way in MOOCs and for-credit courses? Are the implications for learning different, even for the same behaviors? In this paper, we study these issues through developing models that predict student course success from online interactions, in an online learning platform that caters to both distinct student groups (i.e., students who enroll on a for-credit or a noncredit basis). Our findings indicate that our models perform well enough to predict students' course grades for new students across both of our populations. Furthermore, models trained on one of the two populations were able to generalize to new students in the other student population. We find that features related to comments were good predictors of student grades for both groups. Models generated from this research can now be used by instructors and course designers to identify at-risk students both for-credit and MOOC learners, with an eye toward providing both groups with better support.
The Effect of Group Work on English Vocabulary Learning
Author: Lin, Su-Fei
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,College Students,Cooperative Learning,Vocabulary Development,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Independent Study,Second Language Instruction,Instructional Effectiveness,Outcomes of Education,Academic Ability,Ability Grouping,Heterogeneous Grouping,Reading Achievement,Achievement Gains,Pretests Posttests,Retention (Psychology),Cognitive Processes,Difficulty Level,Language Tests,Semi Structured Interviews,Scores,Learning Strategies,Statistical Analysis

This study investigated the effectiveness of group work (GW) in EFL vocabulary learning by second year, non-English major, university students in Taiwan, in comparison with working individually (IW). The students (N = 44) worked in mixed ability groups of 3-4 or in IW to complete vocabulary exercises following reading activities. The classroom intervention followed a repeated measures design with alternating sessions (one week IW, one week GW) for 12 weeks. In order to measure students' word knowledge gains, the modified vocabulary knowledge scale was used in pre-, post- and delayed-post tests, and the scores from the tests were analyzed with paired &quot;t&quot; tests. Qualitative information about vocabulary discovery and retention was further obtained from interviews with 24 students conducted after the classroom intervention. Results showed that students' overall improvement in vocabulary knowledge with group work was significantly higher than that with individual work on immediate post-tests, though both treatments had a beneficial effect. Later retention of word knowledge after GW was only 2% higher than that with IW. Interpretations and implications of these findings are discussed.
Reviewing Emotional Intelligence Levels and Time Management Skills among Students of School of Physical Education and Sports
Author: Bahadir, Ziya
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Emotional Intelligence,Time Management,Athletics,Physical Education,Nonparametric Statistics,Statistical Analysis,Correlation,Comparative Analysis,Foreign Countries,College Students

This study aimed at exploring emotional intelligence levels and time management skills of students of school of physical education and sports (SPES) and assessing their emotional intelligence levels and time management skills in terms of some variables. 309 students who studied at SPES of Erciyes University during the 2017-2018 academic year participated in the study that was designed in screening model. In order to determine participant students' emotional intelligence levels and time management skills; &quot;Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale&quot;--Turkish adaptation of which was performed by Tatar, Tok, &amp; Saltukoglu (2011) and Time Management Inventory--Turkish adaptation of which was performed by Alay &amp; Koçak (2002) were used as data collection tools. In the study; Mann-Whitney U Test and Independent-Samples T Test were employed for paired comparisons while One Way ANOVA and Kruskal Wallis Test were used for multiple comparisons. For measurement of correlations, Pearson Correlation Analysis technique was used. According to study results, emotional intelligence levels and time management skills of students of school of physical education and sports were at &quot;moderate level&quot;. Students' emotional intelligence levels differed significantly in terms of sex, academic grades and academic departments but not in terms of type of high school, sportive branch and age. Students' time management skills did not change considerably in terms of age, sex, sportive branch, type of high school, academic grades and academic departments. Moreover, a positive and significant correlation existed between students' emotional intelligence levels and time management skills.
Customizable Modalities for Individualized Learning: Examining Patterns of Engagement in Dual-Layer MOOCs
Author: Crosslin, Matt
Date: 2018-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Online Courses,Course Descriptions,Mixed Methods Research,Guidelines,Student Attitudes,Instructional Design,Coding,Independent Study,Peer Relationship,Teacher Student Relationship,Data Analysis,Computer Science Education,Mass Instruction,Content Analysis

Dual-layer MOOCs are an educational framework designed to create customizable modality pathways through a learning experience. The basic premise is to design two framework choices through a course: one that is instructor centered and the other that is student determined and open. Learners have the option to create their own customized pathway by choosing or combining both modalities as they see fit at any given time in the course. This exploratory mixed-methods study sought to understand the patterns that learners engaged in during a course designed with this pathway framework. The results of the quantitative examination of the course activity are presented, as well as the categories and themes that arose from the qualitative research. The results of the analysis indicate that learners value the ability to choose the pathway that they engage the course in. Additional research is needed to improve the technical and design aspects of the framework.
Computer Science Students&apos; Attitudes towards the Use of Structured and Unstructured Discussion Forums in Fully Online Courses
Author: Tibi, Moanes H.
Date: 2018-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Online Courses,Student Attitudes,Comparative Analysis,Computer Science Education,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Questionnaires,Computer Mediated Communication,Undergraduate Students,Group Discussion,Arabs,Foreign Countries,Statistical Analysis,Qualitative Research

This study aims to investigate and analyze the attitudes and opinions of computer science students at two academic colleges of education with regards to the use of structured and unstructured discussion forums in computer science courses conducted entirely online. Fifty-two students participated in two online courses. The students in each course were divided into two groups: the experimental group, which participated in a structured discussion forum, and the control group, which participated in an unstructured discussion forum. The questionnaire used for data collection consisted of closed and open-ended questions. The results revealed that the attitudes towards the use of discussion forums of students who participated in the structured discussion forum were positive compared to the attitudes of students who participated in the unstructured discussion forum. Based on the results of the study, the researcher suggests some appropriate recommendations.
Secondary School Students&apos; Mental Models Regarding the Space
Author: Can, Sendil
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Secondary School Students,Scientific Concepts,Case Studies,Foreign Countries,Schemata (Cognition),Influences

This study was carried out to reveal the mental models of the secondary school students from different grade levels regarding the concept of space. At the same time, within the context of the study, it was aimed to determine the factors playing a role in the construction of their concepts of space. The study employed the special case study design, one of the descriptive methods. The study was conducted in the spring term of the 2016-2017 school year and the sampling of the study is comprised of the students attending a private secondary school in a city located in the western region of Turkey. In the study, a data collection tool including four open-ended questions developed by the researchers to determine the students' mental models of the &quot;space&quot; was used. The collected data were analyzed by using descriptive statistical techniques. The findings of the study have revealed that the students mostly associate the concept of the space with the concepts of emptiness (53 students), infinity (50 students), planet (48 students) and star (28 students). These findings are also supported by the students' drawings and the Celestial Bodies Mental Model was found to be the model most frequently used by the students.
Students&apos; Opinions about Their Ninth Grade Biology Textbook: From the Perspective of Constructivist Learning Approach
Author: Çimer, Atilla
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Attitudes,Opinions,Grade 9,Biology,Science Instruction,Constructivism (Learning),Foreign Countries,Textbooks,Questionnaires,Secondary School Students,Statistical Analysis,Qualitative Research,Likert Scales

The study aimed to determine students' opinions about their ninth grade biology textbook that had been created in accordance with the constructivist learning approach. On the basis of a detailed literature review of studies on textbooks; questionnaires used for assessment of textbooks; and constructivist learning approach, a questionnaire was created and administered to 751 students from 9 schools located in the city of Trabzon. The questionnaire was classified into the following sections: contents, learning-teaching activities, assessment and evaluation activities, and physical design. The Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient was 0.94, and the data were analyzed using SPSS 15.0. Multiple findings pertaining to each section were obtained. Overall, it was found that the students were satisfied with their ninth grade biology textbook. While the existence of various visuals was being appreciated by most of the students, some aspects of the textbooks should be developed in order better to support constructivist learning in classrooms. The study also revealed that the questionnaire developed might be used to evaluate textbooks in terms of their appropriateness to constructivist learning theory. The findings of the study are expected to contribute to improving design for future textbooks.
The Relationship between EFL Students&apos; Word-Knowledge in a Text and Their Reading Comprehension as Demonstrated by Saudi University Students
Author: AlTameemy, Farooq
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Correlation,Reader Text Relationship,Foreign Countries,Reading Comprehension,Vocabulary Development,Undergraduate Students,Language Tests,Pilot Projects,Reading Tests,Vocabulary,Knowledge Level,Statistical Analysis

This study reports the outcomes of research investigating the relationship between two variables; percentage of word knowledge in an academic English text and reading comprehension scores the participants got for the same text. The study was conducted at Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Preparatory Year Deanship, during the first semester of 2017-2018. Seventy-one Saudi male students participated in the study. They came from four groups of students selected from the Preparatory Year population to represent four various levels of English (Groups one, seven, fourteen and seventeen) based on their achievement in the placement test. Data was collected using two instruments: two word-meaning association test-lists and a reading comprehension test. The results showed that there is a statistically significant correlation (r = 0.702) between percentage of known words and reading comprehension in general i.e., for all the participants. The effect of word knowledge on reading comprehension was very high R square = 0.49. However, results for the groups separately showed that correlation was positive but not statistically significant for the higher levels i.e., groups one and seven. Also, there was a low effect of word knowledge on comprehension. For the lower levels i.e., groups 14 and 17, the correlation was positive and statistically significant. Results also showed a very high effect of vocabulary knowledge on reading comprehension. Based on the results and analysis of the study, the researchers provided recommendations that will help improve reading curriculum selection and English teaching practices, and suggestions for deeper research into the topic that will include female students and other related concepts.
Rethinking Paulo Freire&apos;s Dialogic Pedagogy and Its Implications for Teachers&apos; Teaching
Author: Shih, Yi-Huang
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Critical Theory,Teaching Styles,Recognition (Achievement),Theory Practice Relationship,Teacher Student Relationship,Interpersonal Communication,Teaching Methods,Consciousness Raising,Critical Thinking,Educational Practices

Paulo Freire was a Brazilian educator, and was seen as a theorist of critical pedagogy. Freire's works have a particular significance for contemporary education in different countries. This paper aims to rethink Freire's dialogic pedagogy, and further illuminate its implications for teachers' teaching. In order to do so, firstly, we explain the importance of Freire's dialogic pedagogy. Secondly, we explore the theory &amp; practice of dialogue. Thirdly, this study explains that the dialogue between teachers and students is a way of promoting critical consciousness. Finally, we explore dialogic pedagogy, and illuminate its implications for teachers' teaching. By reading and analyzing related studies, the implications can be summarized as follows: (1) practicing love-based teaching, (2) developing humility-based teaching, (3) nourishing hope-centered teaching, (4) enriching humor-based teaching, (5) developing silence-based teaching, (6) teachers should promotes students' critical thinking ability in their teaching, and (7) teachers deeply believe that their students will achieve a better vocation.
Prospective Primary School Teachers&apos; Attitudes towards Teaching Mathematics
Author: Tabuk, Mesut
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Mathematics,Student Teacher Attitudes,Preservice Teachers,Mathematics Instruction,Gender Differences,Questionnaires,Student Surveys,Likert Scales,Cohort Analysis,Foreign Countries,Statistical Analysis

The aim of the study is to determine prospective primary school teachers' attitudes towards teaching mathematics. The study is designed according to model of survey in the descriptive type. A total of 236 prospective primary school teachers were examined in order to investigate the effect of gender and program differences on their attitudes towards teaching mathematics. In the study, the questionnaire &quot;Teaching Mathematics&quot; was used to collect the data from prospective teachers. The results revealed that the prospective teachers have positive attitude towards teaching mathematics. It was found also that gender and grade level are not significant factor on attitude scores. Finally, various suggestions were presented for future studies in accordance with the findings obtained.