ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Science Education and Teachers' Training: Research in Partnership
Author: Pilo, Miranda
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teaching Models,Scientific Concepts,Scientific Literacy,Science Education,Teaching Methods,Academic Achievement,Teacher Role,Teaching Styles,Partnerships in Education,Critical Thinking,Scientific Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Creativity,Motivation Techniques,Learning Motivation,Science and Society,Teacher Education Programs,Educational Practices

International researchers put to evidence a worrying decrease in science disciplines' role in many countries, especially in the European Community and a poor quality in scientific competences, as issues of TIMMS (trends in international mathematics and science study) and PISA (programme for international student assessment) have proved, together with a low interest concerning science knowledge of young people. According to our experience, the most important school-related factor in raising student achievement is the quality of the teacher. We investigated Italian pre-service teachers' scientific competences and their mind conceptions about teaching models/styles, students' learning, role of teacher and role of science in daily life. The aim of our research outlined in the present paper is to: (1) improve motivation, learning and pupils' attitudes in science education; (2) develop a critical thinking, stimulate intuition and creativity; and (3) increase scientific literacy in the community. We designed flexible materials, paths and courses within cooperation involving different institutions. The findings of this work concerning both pre-service and in-service teachers' training are: increased awareness about conceptual knots related to scientific concepts; more sensitiveness and attention to students' involvement; reflection about the effectiveness of daily school work-increased awareness about meta-cognition and cooperative learning. (Contains 1 figure.)
Complex Values in Different Cultures: Some Research Results of Psycholinguistic Experiments with Russian and Swedish Students
Author: Shabes, Vladimir
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Psycholinguistics,Cultural Differences,Gender Differences,Generalization,Cross Cultural Studies,Questionnaires,Social Values,Values,Student Attitudes,Comparative Analysis,Comparative Education,Intercultural Programs

In the article on the basis of the psycholinguistic experimental data obtained in 2009-2010 from Russian and Swedish students, we consider internal features of several complex values (&quot;Harmony&quot;, &quot;Freedom&quot;, &quot;Democracy&quot;, &quot;Tolerance&quot; and &quot;Patriotism&quot;) and analyze their external systemic organization, taking into account both specificity of the two cultures and gender specifics. We argue that value concepts are hierarchically organized, forming different generalization levels from the simple to the more complex ones with intricate overlapping among different complex values within the system. This research is a stage in a complex experimental work aimed at comparing Russian and Swedish values (the project on Swedish Institute grant). (Contains 11 tables.)
A Content Analysis of Turkish Newspapers: Prevalence of Articles Containing Health Information Related to Physical Activity
Author: Koksal, Leyla
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Exercise,Muscular Strength,Health Promotion,Physical Activities,Physical Fitness,Health Behavior,Content Analysis,Internet,Newspapers,Information Sources,Databases,Archives,News Reporting,Body Weight,Diseases,Physical Activity Level,Specialists,Health Personnel,College Faculty,Behavior Change

This study was retrospective in design and the purpose was to review health information related to PA (physical activity) in articles of Turkish newspapers. The search covered newspaper articles printed between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2004 in all Turkish newspapers that are accessible via the electronic newspaper database. Four daily Turkish newspapers were identified as having regularly archived documents on Web pages. The search was limited to articles that contained the phrase &quot;physical activity&quot; within them and resulted in 184 published articles being identified. A total of 165 (89.7%) articles presenting health information messages related with PA were selected for content analysis in that study. General health information about PA (35.9%), weight management (21.2%) and cardiovascular (11.9%) effects of the PA were the mostly frequently given as the main content of the articles. The target population in the articles included sedentary population (27.8%), individuals having specific disease (23.9%) and overweight people (16.9%). Twenty-eight of the articles (15.2%) contained information regarding the duration and frequency of the PA for the target population. Thirty articles (16.3%) contained information suggesting general exercises for muscle strength and flexibility. In the articles, the rate of health professions or academicians cited by the journalist was 27.7% in the articles. It was concluded that between 2002 and 2004, the published articles relating to PA in the Turkish newspapers to promote the awareness of public had inadequate suggestions for promoting PA. The experts on PA, such as health professions and academicians, must be augmented and encouraged to educate and change health behaviors of the community through newspapers. (Contains 3 tables.)
Assessment of Selective Attention with CSCWT (Computerized Stroop Color-Word Test) among Children and Adults
Author: Afsaneh, Zarghi
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Curriculum Development,Attention,Attention Control,Children,Adults,Computer Assisted Testing,Cognitive Ability,Age Differences,Gender Differences,Educational Attainment,Influences,Foreign Countries,Individual Characteristics,Environmental Influences

The SCWT (Stroop Color-Word Test) is a quick and frequently used measure for assessing selective attention and cognitive flexibility. This study determines age, sex and education level influence on attention and cognitive flexibility by CSCWT (Computerized Stroop Color-Word Test) among healthy Iranian children and adults. There were 78 healthy subjects, aged from nine to 69 years, whose selection was done randomly. They have been invited to have physical and mental examinations which were done by neurologist and psychiatrist and then to perform the Stroop test by cognitive neuroscientist. The obtained results pattern showed that the obtained results pattern showed that age, sex and education have no significant impact on selective attention and cognitive flexibility in under studied groups except in few cases which means that personal factors alone have less influence on these measures. The score of selective attention in different age and gender groups and at various educational levels was not similar which indicates that there is no significant correlation between attention level and age, sex and education. These findings were not in line with most recent studies which show the significant influence of demographic variables on Stroop test performance. Personal factors, such as age, sex and education, have no influence on attention and cognition level individually and this measure can be altered through environmental factors like diseases. (Contains 5 tables.)
An Investigation into Some of the Major Causes of Truancy in the Venda Technical College in the Limpopo Province
Author: Monobe, Ratau John
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Youth Problems,Truancy,Technical Institutes,Delinquency,Compulsory Education,Foreign Countries,Investigations,Etiology,Attribution Theory,Change Strategies,Functional Behavioral Assessment,Attendance,Attendance Patterns,Dropout Prevention,Drug Rehabilitation,Behavior Problems,Discipline Problems,Discipline Policy,Interviews,Student Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes

With the emergence of the Democratic South Africa, a number of disciplinary problems emerged. One of these problems is truancy of school children from schools. The South African Schools Act (1996, p. 6) provides that if a learner who is subject to &quot;compulsory attendance&quot; fails to attend a school, the HODS (heads of departments) may take certain measures. These include among others informing their parents. This study tried to identify some of the major causes of truancy in area and came to conclusion on possible strategies to improve learner attendance, thus, minimizing juvenile delinquency, reducing school dropouts and protecting youth against drugs.
Teaching Word Stress to Turkish EFL (English as a Foreign Language) Learners through Internet-Based Video Lessons
Author: Hismanoglu, Murat
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Video Technology,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Syllables,Web Based Instruction,English (Second Language),Language Patterns,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Teaching Methods,Phonology,Pronunciation Instruction,Foreign Countries,Pretests Posttests,Questionnaires,Language Teachers,Teacher Education Programs,College Freshmen

The purpose of this study is to elicit problem causing word stress patterns for Turkish EFL (English as a foreign language) learners and investigate whether Internet-based pronunciation lesson is superior to traditional pronunciation lesson in terms of enhancing Turkish EFL learners' accurate production of stressed syllables in English words. A pre-post test design with two groups of Turkish EFL learners: an experimental (N = 15) and a control group (N = 15) was used. The learners' pre- and post- test recordings were analyzed with paired samples T-test and independent samples T-test. Findings indicated that the experimental group outperformed the control group in the final test administered. A questionnaire is appended. (Contains 5 tables.)
Language Policy in Education and the Role of English in India: From Library Language to Language of Empowerment
Author: Meganathan, Ramanujam
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Research Design,Language Planning,Educational Research,Second Language Learning,Language Role,Statistical Surveys,Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Multilingualism,Language of Instruction,English,Native Language,Curriculum Implementation,Educational Strategies

Background: This is a chapter in the book titled, Dreams and Realities: Developing Countries and the English Language. Purpose: To study the role of language in development. Setting: National Council of Educational Research and Training. Study Sample: All India. Intervention: Survey Methods. Research Design: Statistical Survey; Qualitative. Data Collection and Analysis: Survey Methods. Findings: This study has found that: (1) 75 different languages are used in India's education system. (2) 31 different languages are used as media of instruction; this is approximately half the number of languages that were being used for this purpose in the 1980s. (3) English is taught somewhere in the curriculum of all the 32 states and Union Territories which provided data for the survey reported here. Only Hindi is taught in as many states. (4) The percentage of schools teaching English as a &quot;first language&quot; doubled between 1993 and 2002 from five per cent to ten per cent in primary schools and from seven per cent to 13 per cent in upper primary schools. (5) English is offered as a second language by more states than any other language. (6) 33 of 35 states claim to offer English as a medium of instruction; this is more than any other language. (7) Between 1993 and 2002 there was an increase in the proportion of schools offering English as a medium of instruction; the sharpest increase (from five per cent to 13 per cent) occurred in primary schools. (8) By 2002, more than a quarter of all secondary schools were offering English as a medium of instruction. (9) English is offered as a second language in 19 states, of which 16 introduce it in Class I, one in Class III and two as late as Class V. Conclusion: The Increasing demand for English language and policies and curricular implementation strategies unable to meet the demand. Citation: MLA. (Contains 10 tables and 3 boxes.) [This document was published in: &quot;Dreams and Realities: Developing Countries and the English Language&quot; edited by Hywel Coleman (ISBN 978-086355-659-3).]
A Study of the Effectiveness of the Contextual Lab Activity in the Teaching and Learning Statistics at the UTHM (Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia)
Author: Kamaruddin, Nafisah Kamariah Md
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Control Groups,Test Results,Motivation,Laboratories,Engineering,Foreign Countries,Statistics,Teaching Methods,Pretests Posttests,Questionnaires,Quasiexperimental Design,Outcomes of Treatment,Scores,Mathematics,Models,Statistical Inference,Intervals

Inaccurate concept in statistics contributes to the assumption by the students that statistics do not relate to the real world and are not relevant to the engineering field. There are universities which introduced learning statistics using statistics lab activities. However, the learning is more on the learning how to use software and not to enhance the knowledge in statistics. Thus, this research was done to test the effectiveness of the contextual lab activities in learning engineering statistics for the engineering students in the UTHM (Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia). The objective of this research is to survey the understanding, motivation and acceptance between the students, who had gone through the contextual lab activity and the non-contextual lab activity based on the questionnaires. In addition, the test result was measured using the independent t-test. This research is done using the quasi-experiment. There were 265 civil, mechanical and electric students who are taking engineering statistics in their second semester. The sample consisted of 155 students which were divided into two groups: 72 students in the treated group and 83 students in the control group. The treated group followed the contextual lab activity while the control group followed the non-contextual lab activity. The findings showed that there is no significant difference between the students' understanding and motivation from both groups. However, there is a significant difference for the acceptance between both groups. The findings also show that there is a significant difference for the post-test mean score between the two groups. The treated group which had gone through the contextual lab activity scored higher than the non-contextual. In conclusion, the contextual lab activity is able to help the engineering statistics students in their learning process. (Contains 10 tables and 1 figure.)
Learning Style, Culture and Delivery Mode in Online Distance Education
Author: Speece, Mark
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cognitive Style,Learning Modalities,Cultural Context,Classification,Cultural Differences,Cultural Influences,Adult Students,Web Based Instruction,Online Courses,Distance Education,Synchronous Communication,Asynchronous Communication,Multimedia Instruction,Instructional Design,Web Sites,Computer System Design,College Instruction

Adaptation to customer needs is a key component of competitiveness in any service industry. In online HE (higher education), which is increasingly worldwide, this adaptation must include consideration of learning styles. Most research shows that learning style has little impact on learning outcomes in online education. Nevertheless, students with different learning styles prefer different learning formats, so the issue is critical for competitiveness. Students preferring particular learning styles are unlikely to choose modes which do not fit their styles well and are likely to prefer learning modes that fit their learning styles. Thus, adapting online courses to learning style is important for competitiveness. We discuss how cultural dimensions can be related to preferred learning styles and argue that multi-mode distance classes are likely to attract the widest market. Generally, broad appeal in the market of adult-learners requires asynchronous modes for the main platform, but synchronous technologies can be embedded within basically asynchronous formats to increase appeal to some learning styles. (Contains 4 tables.)
Development and Validation of E-Portfolios: The UAE Pre-Service Teachers'  Experiences
Author: Forawi, Sufian A.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teacher Education,Portfolios (Background Materials),Teacher Education Programs,Measures (Individuals),Program Effectiveness,Program Validation,Electronic Publishing,Questionnaires,Interviews,Performance Based Assessment,Portfolio Assessment,Program Descriptions,Program Development,Program Evaluation,Educational Methods,Student Teacher Attitudes,Personal Narratives,Reflection

Research has indicated the importance of evaluating the experiences related to developing e-portfolios (electronic portfolio) to contribute to the overall excellence in teaching and learning. Researchers (instructors) of the present study used an exit e-portfolios, a questionnaire and follow up interviews to describe development and evaluation of e-portfolios with teacher education graduates in their final capstone experience at a major UAE (United Arab Emirates) national university. There is not any such research study conducted in the UAE and there are few studies conducted, in the topic, internationally. This study described the process of developing an e-portfolio and examined its validity and participants'  perceptions to assess teaching performance in the UAE. E-portfolios and surveys of 67 pre-service teachers were included in the analysis and findings. A questionnaire was developed by the authors to examine common perceptions. Analyses of quantitative and qualitative data were presented. A major result indicated that the use of e-portfolio is considered as a pragmatic vehicle to assess pre-service teachers' performance and evaluate teacher education programs. (Contains 2 tables.)
Case Study: Using VDO or CAI in Studying Methods of Proof
Author: Chundang, Ungsana
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Attitudes,Mathematics Instruction,Mathematics Skills,Validity,Mathematics Achievement,Knowledge Level,Mathematical Logic,Questionnaires,College Mathematics,Foreign Countries,Undergraduate Students,Grade Point Average,Satisfaction,Attitude Measures

The objective of the research is to study the effectiveness of the students' performance and the attitude of the students towards using VDO (MTH 225 principle of mathematics) or CAI (MTH 225 principle of mathematics) in studying the topic &quot;Methods of Proof&quot;, of 74 students. The students would be categorized into: group A, students who choose to study via VDO; group B, students who choose to study via CAI; group C, students who used both VDO and CAI; and group D, choose other resources, such as document from instructor. The data used are the result from testing basic knowledge on topic &quot;logic&quot;, testing the effectiveness from self-study, mid-term test on topic &quot;Methods of Proof&quot; and questionnaires on attitude towards self-study lesson. From considering the result of two tests on the topic &quot;Methods of Proof&quot;, it appeared that 44 students showed an increase in performance, whereas three students illustrated stable performance. However, the basic knowledge of the students is at an &quot;average level&quot;, the achievement rate is at a &quot;satisfactory level&quot; and the score of the test is at an &quot;average level&quot;. &quot;Majority&quot; of the students has activity studying behavior and has a &quot;high level&quot; of attitude towards studying principle of mathematics. In the usage of VDO, group A demonstrates an &quot;average&quot; attitude, whereas group C has an &quot;above average&quot; attitude towards the use of VDO. On the other hand, groups B and C illustrate an &quot;above average&quot; attitude towards the use of CAI in learning. Students of all the four groups showed an &quot;average&quot; performance in applying various processes. The result of the case study has shown that using VDO or CAI in teaching has been able to create understanding for the students at a certain level. Moreover, for a better result, teacher should also provide additional explanation to the students. However, the behavior of the students towards learning is one of the most important factors that affect the achievement of the students. [This research was supported by the King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi.] (Contains 5 tables and 2 figures.)
Evaluating Sound Field Amplification Technology in New Brunswick Schools
Author: Rubin, Rhonda
Date: 2007-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Inclusion,Observation,Semi Structured Interviews,Kindergarten,Acoustics,Special Needs Students,Teaching Methods,Educational Improvement,Program Evaluation,Program Effectiveness,Classroom Environment,Preschool Teachers,Elementary School Teachers,Elementary School Students,Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Qualitative Research,Learning Processes,Pilot Projects,Comparative Analysis,Technology Uses in Education,Assistive Technology,Classroom Communication,Educational Equipment,Audio Equipment,Audiometric Tests,Screening Tests,Classroom Design,Language Arts,Speech Communication

(Purpose) The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of classroom sound field amplification on communication in kindergarten through grade 3 classrooms. (Methodology) Sixty classrooms were involved in the study; half of the classrooms were provided with sound field amplification. The flow of communication was measured through classroom observation. A qualitative component of the study involved semi-structured interviews and open-ended questions with teachers and students. In addition, acoustic measures were recorded using a sound level meter and hearing screenings of the students were completed. (Results) The flow of communication in amplified classrooms improved in most areas studied. Teachers and students felt that the amplification technology enhanced the learning process. Themes that emerged included improved signal to noise ratio in the classroom, enhanced learning, inclusion of students with special needs, more efficacious communication, and learning to use the technology. Acoustic measures showed that students were often working in below standard classroom listening conditions and hearing screenings revealed a prevalence of hearing problems between 12%-29%. (Conclusions) Amplification technology can be beneficial in elementary classrooms. [New Brunswick Department of Education funded this pilot research project.]