ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Initial Exploration of a Construct Representing Native Language and Culture (NLC) in Elementary and Middle School Instruction
Author: Van Ryzin, Mark J.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: American Indian Students,Alaska Natives,At Risk Students,Elementary School Students,Middle School Students,Academic Achievement,Culturally Relevant Education,Native Language,Language of Instruction,Language Usage,American Indian Education,National Surveys,Student Surveys,Teacher Surveys,Administrator Surveys,Program Effectiveness,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Learning Activities,Teaching Methods,Educational Resources,Grade 4,Grade 8

Students from American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) backgrounds have typically experienced poor academic and behavioral outcomes. In response, the educational community has recommended that teachers integrate Native Language and Culture (NLC) into instruction to create a welcoming and culturally relevant classroom environment. However, translating this recommendation into practice has been challenging. In this study, we take the first steps toward a formal exploration of the effects of NLC on AI/AN performance by attempting to define a scientifically defensible set of variables that can measure the degree to which teachers and schools make use of NLC in instruction. We used data collected by the National Indian Education Study (NIES) in 2009 and 2011, and conducted exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses with the Student, Teacher, and School (Administrator) Surveys. Contrary to expectations, we found that use of NLC in the classroom was a multidimensional construct: student perceptions differentiated between media-based and live contact; teacher perceptions included both preparation and teaching activities; and, administrator reports included both instructional practices and access to local resources. Implications for further research are discussed. [This article was published in: &quot;Journal of American Indian Education,&quot; 55(1), 74-101, 2016.]
Intelligent Tutoring Systems for Literacy: Existing Technologies and Continuing Challenges
Author: Jacovina, Matthew E.
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Intelligent Tutoring Systems,Literacy Education,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Reading Comprehension,Reading Instruction,Writing Instruction,Natural Language Processing,Feedback (Response),Vocabulary Development,Grade 4,Grade 5,Grade 6,Grade 7,Grade 8,Interaction,Thinking Skills,Middle School Students,High School Students,College Students,Formative Evaluation,Scaffolding (Teaching Technique),Student Research,Writing Skills,Reading Skills

In this chapter, we describe several intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs) designed to support student literacy through reading comprehension and writing instruction and practice. Although adaptive instruction can be a powerful tool in the literacy domain, developing these technologies poses significant challenges. For example, evaluating the quality of a student's writing can be challenging because of the numerous ways to succeed (or fail) when generating a written work. Throughout our discussion, we focus on the methodologies that ITSs have employed to face these challenges. Natural language processing techniques, for example, can be leveraged to assess students' level of comprehension or writing proficiency and subsequently drive the feedback that students receive. Additional challenges arise in the implementation of these systems in classrooms; we discuss how the features and flexibility offered by ITSs can augment their usefulness in these real-world settings. We conclude the chapter by forecasting how future generations of ITSs for literacy will improve and fit into the educational landscape. [At time of submission to ERIC this chapter was in press with R. Atkinson (Ed.), &quot;Intelligent Tutoring Systems: Structure, Applications and Challenges.&quot; Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers Inc.]
Support Needs of Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Age-Related Implications for Assessment
Author: Shogren, Karrie A.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Intellectual Disability,Developmental Disabilities,Measures (Individuals),Needs Assessment,Cohort Analysis,Correlation,Age Differences,Children,Adolescents,Social Support Groups

The Supports Intensity Scale-Children's Version (SIS-C)was developed to assess the support needs of children and youth aged 5 to 16 years with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Data from the standardization sample of the SIS-C were analyzed to evaluate the impact of the age cohorts (5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, and 15-16 years) used to stratify the sample on the measurement model, as well as the latent means, standard deviations, and correlations. The findings confirmed measurement invariance across age cohorts, but suggested that at the latent level, younger children, generally, have more intensive support needs and that as students with intellectual disability age, their support needs decrease. In addition, the 15- to 16-year-old cohort displayed differences in terms of the strength of correlations between support need domains, with stronger correlations than the other age groups. Implications for future research and practice are described. [This article was published in &quot;Psychology in the Schools&quot; (EJ1077471).]
Examining the Average and Local Effects of a Standardized Treatment for Fourth Graders with Reading Difficulties
Author: Wanzek, Jeanne
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Grade 4,Reading Difficulties,Intervention,Randomized Controlled Trials,Reading Ability,Reading Comprehension,Reading Instruction,Elementary School Students,Reading Tests,Correlation,Pretests Posttests,Statistical Analysis,Comparative Analysis,Reading Fluency,Sight Method,Achievement Tests,Emergent Literacy,Reading Skills,Program Effectiveness,Response to Intervention

The present study used a randomized control trial to examine the effects of a widely-used multi-component Tier 2 type intervention, Passport to Literacy, on the reading ability of 221 fourth graders who initially scored at or below the 30th percentile in reading comprehension. Intervention was provided by research staff to groups of 4-7 students for 30 min, 4 days a week throughout the school year (M = 90.45 lessons). Tier 1 instruction was observed to be of generally high quality and intervention fidelity was strong. Findings revealed small, average effects (ES = 0.14 -0.28) in favor of intervention students on standardized measures of comprehension, but no effects on word reading or fluency measures. Exploratory analyses indicated intervention effects may differ by students' comprehension abilities. Implications for intervention implementation and directions for future research are discussed. [This paper was published in &quot;Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness&quot; (EJ1115336).]
Joint-Attention and the Social Phenotype of School-Aged Children with ASD
Author: Mundy, Peter
Date: 2017-05-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Attention,Autism,Pervasive Developmental Disorders,Evaluation Methods,Children,Adolescents,Comparative Analysis,Rating Scales,Test Validity,Factor Analysis,Scores,Correlation,Parent Attitudes,Diagnostic Tests,Observation,Symptoms (Individual Disorders)

The validity of joint attention assessment in school-aged children with ASD is unclear (Lord, Jones, &quot;Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry&quot; 53(5):490-509, 2012). This study examined the feasibility and validity of a parent-report measure of joint attention related behaviors in verbal children and adolescents with ASD. Fifty-two children with ASD and 34 controls were assessed with the Childhood Joint Attention Rating Scale (C-JARS). The C-JARS exhibited internally consistency, a=0.88, and one factor explained 49% of the scale variance. Factor scores correctly identified between 88 and 94% of the children with ASD and 62-82% of controls. These scores were correlated with the ADOS-2, but not other parent-report symptom measures. The C-JARS appears to assess a unique dimension of the social-phenotype of children with ASD. [This paper was published in &quot;Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders&quot; (EJ1136811).]
Implementing Positive Behavior Support in Preschools: An Exploratory Study of CW-FIT Tier 1
Author: Jolstead, Krystine A.
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Positive Behavior Supports,Program Implementation,Preschool Education,Intervention,Classroom Techniques,Contingency Management,Student Behavior,Behavior Problems,Preschool Children,Positive Reinforcement,Preschool Teachers,Interpersonal Competence,Program Effectiveness

Challenging behavior in preschool is a serious concern for teachers. Positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) has been shown to be effective in reducing such behaviors. Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) is a specific multi-tiered intervention for implementing effective classroom management strategies using PBIS practices. CW-FIT has been shown to be effective in elementary classrooms but has not yet been evaluated with younger age groups. CW-FIT Tier 1 is a group contingency utilizing social skills training, teacher praise, and positive reinforcement to improve student behavior. The present study examined the effects of CW-FIT Tier 1 implementation on student group on-task behavior and on teacher praise and reprimand rates in four preschool classrooms. A single-subject delayed multiple-baseline design with embedded reversals was used to evaluate impact. Results indicated the intervention increased student group on-task behavior and teacher praise to reprimand ratios. Both teachers and children found CW-FIT Tier 1 to be socially valid. Limitations and implications of this study for researchers and practitioners are discussed. [This paper was published in &quot;Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions&quot; v19 n1 p48-60 Jan 2017 (EJ1123735).]
K-12 Education in Germany: Curriculum and PISA 2015
Author: Atmacasoy, Abdullah
Date: 2017-01-25
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Elementary Secondary Education,Curriculum Development,Teacher Education,Academic Achievement,International Assessment,Early Childhood Education,Achievement Rating,Performance Based Assessment,Underachievement,Educational Quality,Achievement Tests,Secondary School Students

Against the backdrop of PISA 2015 results, the aim of this study is to review basic structures of German education system by exploring curriculum development process, key features of each educational level and teacher education in order to grasp how Germany has amended her poor performance after PISA 2000 and persistently improved the quality of education. It was contended that the German education system has provided school-based support, monitored and targeted the most disadvantaged students schools instead of penalizing schools for poor performance and publicizing school-level test scores. Germany's PISA results in retrospect also show that she has improved her scores in all domains since 2000. Germany is aware of the fact that the key to economic development and prosperous life is strictly related to the quality of education, and it is decisive about making it accessible for all diverse groups within the country.
Adaptive Reading and Writing Instruction in iSTART and W-Pal
Author: Johnson, Amy M.
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Reading Instruction,Writing Instruction,Intelligent Tutoring Systems,Reading Strategies,Natural Language Processing,Feedback (Response),Prior Learning,Metacognition,Scaffolding (Teaching Technique),Difficulty Level,Essays,Reading Comprehension,Reading Improvement

Intelligent tutoring systems for ill-defined domains, such as reading and writing, are critically needed, yet uncommon. Two such systems, the Interactive Strategy Training for Active Reading and Thinking (iSTART) and Writing Pal (W-Pal) use natural language processing (NLP) to assess learners' written (i.e., typed) responses and provide immediate, accurate feedback. The current paper reports on efforts to implement adaptive instruction and task selection into both systems. In iSTART, we developed a new practice module, in which learners' past performance data governs two adaptive functionalities: 1) the use of self-explanation scaffolding and 2) the increase or decrease of difficulty of practice texts. In W-Pal, adaptivity is implemented by triggering targeted instructional support on the basis of deficits identified in learners' essays. In this paper, we describe the need for adaptive reading and writing instruction, along with the design and development of adaptivity in the two systems. [This paper was published in V. Rus &amp; Z. Markov (Eds.), &quot;Proceedings of the 30th International Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society (FLAIRS) Conference&quot; (pp. 561-566). Palo Alto, CA: AAAI Press.]
Cohesive Features of Deep Text Comprehension Processes
Author: Allen, Laura K.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Reading Comprehension,Reading Processes,Reading Strategies,Protocol Analysis,Lexicology,Semantics,Connected Discourse,Undergraduate Students,High School Students,Statistical Analysis,Metacognition,Multivariate Analysis

This study investigates how cohesion manifests in readers' thought processes while reading texts when they are instructed to engage in self-explanation, a strategy associated with deeper, more successful comprehension. In Study 1, college students (n = 21) were instructed to either paraphrase or self-explain science texts. Paraphrasing was characterized by greater cohesion in terms of lexical overlap whereas self-explanation included greater lexical diversity and more connectives to specify relations between ideas. In Study 2, adolescent students (n = 84) were provided with instruction and practice in self-explanation and reading strategies across 8 sessions. Self-explanations increased in lexical diversity but became more causally and semantically cohesive over time. Together, these results suggest that cohesive features expressed in think alouds are indicative of the depth of students' comprehension processes. [This paper was published in: J. Trueswell, A. Papafragou, D. Grodner, &amp; D. Mirman (Eds.), &quot;Proceedings of the 38th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society in Philadelphia, PA,&quot; (pp. 2681-2686). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.]
Modeling Comprehension Processes via Automated Analyses of Dialogism
Author: Dascalu, Mihai
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Dialogs (Language),Protocol Analysis,Discourse Analysis,Automation,Multivariate Analysis,Classification,Reading Comprehension,Comparative Analysis,College Students,Differences,Statistical Analysis

Dialogism provides the grounds for building a comprehensive model of discourse and it is focused on the multiplicity of perspectives (i.e., voices). Dialogism can be present in any type of text, while voices become themes or recurrent topics emerging from the discourse. In this study, we examine the extent that differences between self-explanations and think-alouds can be detected using computational textual indices derived from dialogism. Students (n = 68) read a text about natural selection and were instructed to generate self-explanations or think-alouds. The linguistic features of these text responses were analyzed using &quot;ReaderBench,&quot; an automated text analysis tool. A discriminant function analysis using these features correctly classified 80.9% of the students' assigned experimental conditions (self-explanation vs. think aloud). Our results indicate that self-explanation promotes text processing that focuses on connected ideas, rather than separate voices or points of view covering multiple topics. [This paper was published in: G. Gunzelmann, A. Howes, T. Tenbrink, &amp; E. Davelaar (Eds.), &quot;Proceedings of the 39th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society&quot; (CogSci 2017). London, UK: Cognitive Science Society.]
Timing Game-Based Practice in a Reading Comprehension Strategy Tutor
Author: Jacovina, Matthew E.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Reading Comprehension,Educational Games,Intelligent Tutoring Systems,Reading Instruction,Reading Strategies,Student Motivation,Pretests Posttests,Reading Achievement,Instructional Effectiveness,Time Factors (Learning),High School Students,High School Graduates,Statistical Analysis,Correlation

Game-based practice within Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) can be optimized by examining how properties of practice activities influence learning outcomes and motivation. In the current study, we manipulated when game-based practice was available to students. All students (n = 149) first completed lesson videos in iSTART-2, an ITS focusing on reading comprehension strategies. They then practiced with iSTART-2 for two 2-hour sessions. Students' first session was either in a game or nongame practice environment. In the second session, they either switched to the alternate environment or remained in the same environment. Students' comprehension was tested at pretest and post-test, and motivational measures were collected. Overall, students' comprehension increased from pretest to posttest. Effect sizes of the pretest to posttest gain suggested that switching from the game to nongame environment was least effective, while switching from a nongame to game environment or remaining in the game environment was more effective. However, these differences between the practice conditions were not statistically significant, either on comprehension or motivation measures, suggesting that for iSTART-2, the timing of game-based practice availability does not substantially impact students' experience in the system.
Self-Explanation and Reading Strategy Training (SERT) Improves Low-Knowledge Students&apos; Science Course Performance
Author: McNamara, Danielle S.
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Biology,Correlation,Introductory Courses,Knowledge Level,Likert Scales,Metacognition,Multiple Choice Tests,Outcomes of Education,Prior Learning,Readability Formulas,Reading Comprehension,Reading Instruction,Reading Strategies,Reading Tests,Scientific Literacy,Scores,Undergraduate Students,Vocabulary,Readability

This study demonstrates the generalization of previous laboratory results showing the benefits of self-explanation reading training (SERT) to college students' course exam performance. The participants were 265 students enrolled in an Introductory Biology course, 59 of whom were provided with SERT training. The results showed that SERT benefited students who began the course with less knowledge about science, but did not benefit students with greater prior science knowledge. Moreover, across the three exams in the course, low-knowledge students who received SERT performed as well as high-knowledge students, whereas low-knowledge students without SERT performed more poorly than high-knowledge students. Hence, instruction on how to self-explain and use comprehension strategies allowed low-knowledge students to overcome their knowledge deficits. These results provide further evidence that self-explanation in combination with instruction and practice using comprehension strategies helps students to more effectively process and understand science. [This article was published in &quot;Discourse Processes,&quot; v54 n7 p479-492 2017 (EJ1154551).]
Cognitive Strategy Instruction for Teaching Word Problems to Primary-Level Struggling Students
Author: Pfannenstiel, Kathleen Hughes
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mathematics Instruction,Teaching Methods,Word Problems (Mathematics),Elementary School Mathematics,Elementary School Students,Primary Education,Learning Disabilities,Learning Strategies,Problem Solving,Direct Instruction

Students with mathematics difficulties and learning disabilities (LD) typically struggle with solving word problems. These students often lack knowledge about efficient, cognitive strategies to utilize when solving word problems. Cognitive strategy instruction has been shown to be effective in teaching struggling students how to solve word problems that employ specific word problem types. The cognitive strategy, Math Scene Investigator (MSI), is an example of a cognitive strategy for word problem solving. The MSI strategy described in this paper is suitable for primary-level students with mathematics difficulties and LD. Instructional steps are provided along with an example of an interactive lesson. [This paper was published in &quot;Intervention in School and Clinic&quot; (EJ1055951).]
Challenges and Solutions When Using Technologies in the Classroom
Author: Johnson, Amy M.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Technology Integration,Barriers,Teacher Attitudes,Resistance to Change,Knowledge Level,Technological Literacy,Foreign Countries,Access to Computers,Faculty Development,Pedagogical Content Knowledge

The purpose of this chapter is to present common challenges faced by educators when attempting to integrate technology in the classroom, and offer potential solutions to those problems. Examination of these issues should be valuable to current and future educators, school administrators, as well as educational technology researchers. The chapter begins by introducing the challenges to technology integration that are external (extrinsic) to the teacher, including access to resources, training, and support. We then present barriers that are internal to teachers, including their attitudes and beliefs, resistance toward technology in the classroom, and their knowledge and skills. The next section presents international perspectives on the technology integration problem, focusing on a case in Chile. The chapter concludes with a short summary of the chapter and condensed recommendations for effective technology implementation. [This paper was published in: S. A. Crossley &amp; D. S. McNamara (Eds.) &quot;Adaptive educational technologies for literacy instruction&quot; (pp. 13-29). New York: Taylor &amp; Francis.]