ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Ridge Regression as an Alternative to Ordinary Least Squares: Improving Prediction Accuracy and the Interpretation of Beta Weights. Professional File. Number 92, Summer 2004
Author: Walker, David A.
Date: 2004-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Regression (Statistics),Prediction,Least Squares Statistics,Computation,Correlation,Educational Research,Administrators,Student Personnel Workers,Higher Education

This article looked at non-experimental data via an ordinary least squares (OLS) model and compared its results to ridge regression models in terms of cross-validation predictor weighting precision when using fixed and random predictor cases and small and large p/n ratio models. A majority of the time with two random predictor cases, ridge regression accuracy was superior to OLS in estimating beta weights. Thus, ridge regression was very useful under this condition. However, when the fixed predictor case was reviewed, OLS was much more precise at estimating predictor weights than the ridge techniques regardless of the p/n ratio. In determining the cross validation accuracy of the ridge estimated weights in respect to the OLS estimated weights, ridge models were superior for improving the accuracy of model prediction. An appendix is included. (Contains 2 tables.)
Weighting Omissions and Best Practices When Using Large-Scale Data in Educational Research. Professional File. Number 101, Fall 2006
Author: Hahs-Vaughn, Debbie L.
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Information Analyses
Subjects: Educational Research,Sampling,Data,Statistical Analysis,Best Practices,Periodicals,Higher Education,National Surveys,Public Agencies

Federal agencies conduct large, national studies that provide abundant data easily accessible to researchers. While these datasets provide access to rich data for analyzing a multitude of topics, certain skills are necessary for appropriate use. Specifically, over sampling and multistage cluster sampling must be accommodated in the analyses to ensure the estimates are accurate. The purpose of this study is to examine recent research that uses national datasets to determine the extent to which researchers use the weight and design effect compensation and to highlight best practices in reporting analyses using large-scale data. Research articles using large-scale datasets from five years of &quot;Research in Higher Education,&quot; &quot;Journal of Higher Education,&quot; and &quot;Review of Higher Education&quot; were reviewed to determine the data's appropriate use by reviewing the use of weights and design effects. These journals were selected because these are official journals of relevant professional organizations and/or are considered to be leading scholarly journals on topics related to higher education. Best practices in using national datasets for authors and journal editors are discussed. (Contains 1 endnote.)
Does It Matter Who's in the Classroom? Effect of Instructor Type on Student Retention, Achievement and Satisfaction. Professional File. Number 100, Summer 2006
Author: Ronco, Sharron
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Academic Achievement,Educational Experience,Teaching Assistants,School Holding Power,Adjunct Faculty,Participant Satisfaction,Tenure,Predictor Variables,Student Evaluation of Teacher Performance,Academic Persistence,College Outcomes Assessment,Schematic Studies,Institutional Research

This study examines the association between three outcomes of the freshman and sophomore years (retention, academic achievement and  student rating of instruction) and the amount of exposure to three types of instructors (regular full-time faculty, adjunct faculty and graduate teaching assistants). This study uncovered little evidence that instructor type has a widespread impact on student outcomes. Rather, the study demonstrated that retention and academic achievement can be predicted primarily from background and educational experience variables. Student ratings of instruction vary widely by college, with faculty having the edge in some areas, and graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) in others. Adjuncts rarely showed any statistically significant differences in their comparisons to other instructor types. The negative effect on first fall and first-year GPA from taking a large percentage of credit hours from faculty may be related to the perception reported on the SPOT (Student Perception of Teaching Instrument) that these courses require more effort, and are perhaps more rigorous. (Contains 5 tables and 2 endnotes.)
Assessing Students' Perceptions of Campus Community: A Focus Group Approach. Professional File. Number 95, Spring 2005
Author: Cheng, David X.
Date: 2005-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Student Attitudes,Focus Groups,Institutional Environment,Student Participation,Campuses,Institutional Research,Educational Environment,School Safety,Student Personnel Services,Expectation,Caring,Collegiality,Community Development,Group Dynamics

This paper offers a focus group approach to the understanding of student perceptions of campus community. Using the Strange and Banning (2001) framework of community, the author argues that students' sense of campus community should be studied as it exists within the institutional environment. The results of the study include: 1) There is a strong connection between the quality of services and students' sense of belonging to the institution; 2) Students' full participation in campus life happens only when careful consideration is given to such factors as students' financial ability, their residential environment, and integration among different student groups; and 3) Committed to shared educational purposes, institutions should also be open to divergent definitions of community, leaving space for individual learning, growth, and creativity, thus cultivating an open and tolerant campus community. (Contains 1 figure.)
Strategies and Tools Used to Collect and Report Strategic Plan Data. Professional File. Number 98, Winter 2006
Author: Blankert, Jennie
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Strategic Planning,Institutional Research,Data Collection,Accountability,Research Tools,Research Methodology,Knowledge Management,Program Descriptions,Program Development,Change Strategies,Institutional Evaluation,Decision Making,Management Information Systems,Information Needs,Institutional Role

Academic institutions are increasingly interested in the collection and presentation of data to support strategic planning, accreditation, and accountability needs. With an increased emphasis on campus-wide involvement and centralized data collection at some institutions, the integrity, accessibility, and interpretation of data become key elements. The role the Institutional Research Office plays in the preparation and maintenance of this information is critical. This paper will take you through the process used to establish contacts across the university, the collection and management of data and the formatting of facts and figures for clear presentation to diverse audiences. With the increase of data available to colleges and universities from both internal and external sources, and the dramatic increase in the technical tools available to manage and to access data, institutional researchers have the opportunity to become knowledge managers. Organizing data for decision-making in a meaningful and useful way is essential for strategic planning, accreditation, and other accountability needs for higher education institutions. The case study here describes the process of developing strategies and tools to meet the needs of strategic planning data collection and reporting that may be informative to professionals charged with similar tasks. (Contains 6 figures.)
Essential Steps for Web Surveys: A Guide to Designing, Administering and Utilizing Web Surveys for University Decision-Making. Professional File. Number 102, Winter 2006
Author: Cheskis-Gold, Rena
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Decision Making,Mail Surveys,Research Design,Testing,Test Construction,Guides,Questionnaires,Research Methodology,Program Descriptions,Program Development,Program Design,Program Administration,Computer Assisted Testing,Management Information Systems,Privacy

During the past few years, several Harvard paper surveys were converted to Web surveys. These were high-profile surveys endorsed by the Provost and the Dean of the College, and covered major portions of the university population (all undergraduates, all graduate students, tenured and non-tenured faculty). When planning for these surveys started in 2001, Web surveys were still avant-garde. Dillman's 2000 edition of his classic "Mail and Internet Surveys: The Tailored Design Method" devoted only 29 of 450 pages to Web surveys, indicative of the small size of the collected body of knowledge about Web surveys at that time. The authors did not have a good practical manual to guide them in the Web survey process, so they wrote their own. They have delivered versions of this paper at various conferences and at each venue, received a big group of professionals seeking ways to get started, or needing tips to refine their own processes. Since 2001, their group has done several Web surveys together at Harvard, using a variety of software packages. They also have drawn upon the growing body of literature now available on Web surveys. In this paper, they will begin farther back in the process with how the survey projects were conceptualized and enacted in a complex university environment. They then take readers through many organizational and technical aspects of doing a Web-survey. Along the way, they talk about some emerging issues surrounding survey research, such as privacy and incentives. (Contains 15 tables and 4 endnotes.)
Expanding Students' Voice in Assessment through Senior Survey Research. Professional File. Number 96, Summer 2005
Author: Delaney, Anne Marie
Date: 2005-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Student Attitudes,Predictor Variables,Research Design,Participant Satisfaction,Models,Mail Surveys,Student Participation,Institutional Mission,Educational Objectives,Student Experience,Academic Standards,Statistical Analysis,Action Research,Gender Differences,College Outcomes Assessment

Based on a trend study of 970 graduating seniors, this paper presents a model for designing senior survey research studies to achieve optimum impact on assessment and policy development. The paper demonstrates how the link between research and policy was achieved through the conceptual organization, design and statistical analyses of the study. Confirming findings from previous research, this study identified some unique predictors of the two major dependent variables. The perception of having gained in-depth knowledge of a field was the strongest predictor of overall satisfaction, while satisfaction with the campus social life was the strongest predictor of the likelihood of choosing the same college again. (Contains 8 tables, 3 figures and 2 endnotes.)
Making Measurement Meaningful. Professional File. Number 97, Fall 2005
Author: Carpenter-Hubin, Julie
Date: 2005-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Evaluation Criteria,Performance Technology,Improvement Programs,Program Improvement,Benchmarking,Standard Setting,Organizational Change,Change Strategies,Needs Assessment,Measurement Objectives,Measurement Techniques,Institutional Research

Individuals and organizations are usually so immersed in day-to-day task completion that it is impossible to step back and scan the environment to determine (a) what work is crucial, (b) quality of current and past work, and (c) how the work contributes to larger organizational priorities. This focus on "just keeping up" with what must get done today, this week, this month often causes important priorities to go unarticulated, undone, and/or not up to quality standards. This paper outlines a process to help leaders define priorities, roles, measures, and quality standards at multiple levels within organizations. The process includes (a) determining who should be involved, (b) preparing participants to begin, (c) developing performance measures, and (d) finalizing the scorecard. Four appendices are included. (Contains 3 tables and 4 resources.)
Course-Taking Patterns, Policies, and Practices in Developmental Education in the California Community Colleges. A Report to the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office
Author: Perry, Mary
Date: 2010-06-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Community Colleges,Basic Skills,Strategic Planning,Associate Degrees,Required Courses,Degree Requirements,Remedial Reading,Accountability,Reports,Pattern Recognition

The visibility of developmental education--or basic skills education as it is called most often in California--has increased in recent years. One major catalyst was a comprehensive community college strategic planning process completed in 2004 that listed basic skills as a critical area of focus. Another was an increase in the system's minimum course-taking requirements for the associate degree. These helped pave the way for the state's Basic Skills Initiative (BSI) and greater public reporting of basic skills outcomes through the new &quot;Basic Skills Accountability Report&quot; (CCCCO, 2009). These policy actions underscore the place of developmental education as a cornerstone of the work and purpose of the California Community Colleges. EdSource undertook this study, under contract with the Chancellor's Office, to further understanding of several issues related to this part of the system's mission. This study has two parts. The quantitative section describes remedial course-taking patterns in the community colleges and examines the correspondence between those patterns and various student outcomes. The qualitative sections examine research and opinion on related policies and practices both historically and looking forward. Appended are: (1) Stakeholders Consulted; (2) Definitions of English Course Categories; (3) The Difficulty of Tracking Student Progress through Remedial Reading Sequences; (4) A Sampling of Actual Student Course-taking; (5) Descriptive Statistics on the Fall 2002 cohort; (6) Variation among Students Who Enrolled in Remedial Writing and Mathematics Sequences, Depending on Starting Level; (7) Regression Tables; and (8) Charts Summarizing the Quantitative Findings. (Contains 22 figures, 14 tables and 8 footnotes.)
Something's Got to Give: California Can't Improve College Completions without Rethinking Developmental Education at Its Community Colleges
Author: Perry, Mary
Date: 2010-10-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Community Colleges,Academic Achievement,Remedial Instruction,Educational Improvement,Higher Education,High School Graduates,Outcomes of Education,Basic Skills,Remedial Mathematics,Elementary Secondary Education,Time to Degree,Writing Instruction

This report draws from a recent EdSource study that was commissioned by the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office (CCCCO) to provide a deeper understanding of the system's challenges and opportunities related to developmental education. It provides some insights into how well the community colleges are currently positioned to respond to these pressures. It also details how students have moved through remedial course sequences in writing and mathematics, which students take these courses, and the extent to which their starting levels and course-taking behaviors appear to relate to their achievement of long-term academic goals. Growing concern about low levels of student success and completion--fostered in part by a plethora of recent reports on the topic--has prompted new state efforts to change policy in support of improvement. As community college officials and state leaders consider ways to pursue these goals for the system, they will be forced to confront their commitment to providing open access as well. The findings from this study can help illuminate some leverage points for reconciling those two challenges that sometimes seem so at odds. (Contains 8 figures and 2 endnotes.) [This report was researched and written with Kathryn Morgan Woodward and Peter Bahr. This report draws extensively from an EdSource research study released to the public in October 2010, &quot;Course-taking patterns, policies, and practices in developmental education in the California Community Colleges&quot; (ED512364).]
Title I Dollars Support Community Schools
Author: Pearson, Sarah S.
Date: 2010-01-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Community Schools,Enrichment Activities,Disadvantaged Youth,Access to Education,Academic Achievement,Financial Support,Graduation Rate,Dropout Rate,Attendance Patterns,Behavior Modification,Parent Participation,Federal Legislation,Needs Assessment

Title I funds are available to districts and schools with high numbers or percentages of disadvantaged students to provide services, including academic enrichment services through Title I, Part A, so all the nation's children have an equal opportunity to education and can reach proficiency on state academic achievement standards and assessments. This brief provides State and Local Title I Directors with a deeper understanding of the allowable uses of Title I funding for community schools. Community schools are centers of the community that support student learning and healthy development, and strengthen families and communities.
Minority-Serving Institutions of Higher Education: Serving Communities, Revitalizing the Nation
Author: US Department of Housing and Urban Development
Date: 2009-03-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Higher Education,Black Colleges,American Indians,Alaska Natives,Federal Government,Hispanic Americans,Grants,Tribally Controlled Education,Minority Groups,College Role,Educational History,Federal Aid,Hawaiians,Program Descriptions,Institutional Mission,Business,At Risk Persons,Economic Development

Institutions of higher education (IHEs) that serve minority populations are unique both in their missions and in their day-to-day operations. Some of these colleges and universities are located in remote regions of the country, while others serve congested urban neighborhoods. Their constituents range from Native Americans, the country's oldest residents, to Hispanic Americans, who count themselves among its most recent arrivals. Some minority-serving institutions (MSIs), like Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), are only a few decades old, while historically black colleges and universities have been in existence for more than a century. MSIs are both integral and essential to their communities. Through executive orders and special legislation enacted over the past 20 years, the federal government seeks to strengthen the prominent role these colleges and universities play in their communities and provide a structured means for these institutions to access federal funds. As part of this federal outreach effort, the Office of University Partnerships (OUP) in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers four grant programs for MSIs. This publication highlights the accomplishments of those four programs: (1) The Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) program; (2) The Hispanic-Serving Institutions Assisting Communities (HSIAC) program; (3) The Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP); and (4) The Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Institutions Assisting Communities (AN/NHIAC) program. Furthermore, it illustrates the important role that MSIs play in improving their local communities and the nation as a whole. Chapters 1 through 4 provide background about MSIs, their unique history and mission, and the challenges they face as they serve their target populations. Chapters 5-7 highlight the important work that 18 MSIs are doing to revitalize their communities, support local businesses, and help at-risk individuals and families build better lives for themselves. Chapter 8 illustrates how OUP funds are helping five TCUs enhance their infrastructure and expand their campuses so they can serve more students. Information about all minority-serving institutions that have received a grant from the Office of University Partnerships (OUP) since 1998 is appended.
Partnership in Action: Examples of Employer/Faith-Based and Community Organization Partnerships
Author: US Department of Labor
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Job Training,Career Centers,Religious Organizations,Organizations (Groups),Community Involvement,Community Organizations,Community Programs,Institutional Cooperation,Employment,Job Placement,Job Search Methods,Career Development,Partnerships in Education,Intergroup Relations,Religion,Hospitals,Churches

This publication builds on the &quot;Making a Difference Through Strategic Business Partnerships: A Guide for Faith-Based and Community Organizations&quot; guidebook by providing a series of snapshots of partnerships between employers and faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs). FBCOs bring unique assets to the task of assisting individuals looking for training and employment. This is particularly true with hard-to-serve populations who often need long-term, in-depth assistance to find and retain jobs. Research conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor has shown that people with multiple barriers to employment (immigrants, welfare-to-work populations, the disabled, ex-offenders and others) need the kind of effective, holistic care offered by FBCOs. Training and support services, however, are only part of the employment equation. FBCOs working with hard-to-serve populations also need expertise in understanding the needs of businesses and shaping their programs to support those needs. This publication is designed to help FBCOs build better partnerships with employers by offering several different examples of effective collaboration. Some of these partnerships are between an FBCO and an employer, and some include the public workforce system and its network of One-Stop Career Centers (One-Stops). Other partnerships include other social service providers, community colleges, and local government agencies. While the partnerships may all take different form, all are important and all provide valuable models upon which other FBCOs might build similar partnerships. In each case, the FBCOs profiled demonstrate how they were able to build on their comparative advantage and partner with employers in a way that emphasized their strengths while providing value to their employer partners. There is no right or wrong model for partnership between FBCOs and employers. Successful partnerships can be structured in many different ways. This publication documents some of these partnerships and how they can be beneficial for both FBCOs and employers. (Contains 7 footnotes.)
Vocational Rehabilitation Employment Outcomes for Transition-Age Youth with Autism and Other Disabilities. Data Note, Number 26
Author: Smith Frank A.
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Autism,Vocational Rehabilitation,Employment Patterns,Employment Statistics,Community Based Instruction (Disabilities),Cohort Analysis

Youth with autism, like youth from other disability subgroups, often participate in state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) programs to obtain employment. While youth with autism represent a small percentage of all VR closures, the number with autism who closed out of VR more than tripled between 2003 and 2008 (see figure). In this Data Note, the authors compare employment outcomes for two subgroups of youth who exited VR in FY 2008, those with autism and those with all other disabilities.  A table summarizes four VR employment  outcomes for the disability subgroups: number of closures into employment, rehabilitation rate, average weekly hours worked, and average weekly earnings. A second table presents the number of VR closures 2003-2008, youth with autism. (Contains 1 footnote.)