ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Importance of Understanding Culture When Improving Education: Learning from Cambodia
Author: Berkvens, Jan B. Y.
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Cultural Differences,Mixed Methods Research,Intervention

Following Education for All, initiatives like child-friendly schools initiative, are rolled out in many countries, including Cambodia. The child-friendly schools initiative is addressing general and local needs of children in schools, like a safe environment, well-trained teachers and the provision of teaching and materials. But there is also a component that is more cultural in nature and might not resonate well with the country's culture. As Hofstede's (1980, 1986) research concerning cultural differences indicated, a country's culture can be described following five dimensions (individualism/collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity/femininity, and long-term/short-term orientation). Not taking a country's culture into account while intervening with important services like education, might lead to low intervention outcomes, teachers who feel uncomfortable with the proposed contents and ways of teaching, and students who are not prepared well towards the society they live in. A cultural profile of Cambodia was missing when the ministry of education started to roll out the Education for All and Child Friendly School approaches in 2006/2007 (Schaeffer &amp; Heng, 2016). The original research has since been enriched with additional data sets. The data sets are by no means large enough to be representative, but through triangulation a careful attempt is made to at least inform educationalists of the importance of taking culture into account when designing and implementing educational interventions to improve learning in Cambodia, and likely elsewhere. With the onset of the Sustainable Development Goals (UN Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform, 2015), such cultural understanding is a necessity in order to achieve cultural appropriate project outcomes.
Technology Integration and the Effect on Mathematics Fact Fluency in the Middle East
Author: Letwinsky, Karim Medico
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Quasiexperimental Design,Grade 4,Multiplication,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Intervention,Pretests Posttests,Technology Integration,Accuracy,Time Perspective,Mathematics Tests,Predictor Variables,Multivariate Analysis

This quantitative, quasi-experimental study investigated the effect of the Mathletics.com technology on basic multiplication fact fluency in fourth grade students in the Middle East. The treatment group received three weeks of scheduled time using Mathletics.com, while the control group practiced multiplication facts using only traditional methods. To determine the effectiveness of the intervention, a nonequivalent control group design was used, and to evaluate multiple dependent variables a MANOVA was performed. Post hoc tests were applied as needed. Using a multivariate approach with speed and accuracy for the construct of fluency, the results indicated that both groups made gains in the accuracy of their answers (F(2, 25) = 3.40, p &lt; 0.05; Wilks' ? = 0.79; partial ?2 =0.21). While both groups improved with the speed of response on the posttest, the control group improved significantly more than the treatment group (t(13) = 3.60, p &lt; 0.025). The results did not indicate that technology significantly improved the learning of the treatment group.
Elementary and Junior High School Teachers&apos; Promotion of Self-Determination in Taiwan
Author: Chao, Pen-Chiang
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Elementary School Teachers,Secondary School Teachers,Junior High Schools,Self Determination,National Surveys,Gender Differences,Teacher Characteristics,Classroom Environment,Teaching Experience,Empowerment,Self Advocacy,Goal Orientation,Expectation,Problem Solving,Statistical Analysis,Self Actualization,Personal Autonomy,Multivariate Analysis

The purpose of this study was to conduct a national survey, aiming to (a)explore how self-determination instruction is implemented by elementary and junior high school teachers; (b)examine the frequency with which the components of self-determination are taught; and (c)investigate whether teachers' gender, class setting, and teaching experience affect their classroom practices regarding the promotion of self-determination. The participants were 1,039 teachers recruited from elementary and junior high schools nationwide in Taiwan using a random sampling method. The Teaching Self-Determination Scale (TSDS) was used to gauge the extent to which educators teach knowledge and skills related to self-determination. Descriptive statistics, analyses of variance (ANOVAs) and multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) were employed to analyze data collected. Findings showed that more than half of the teachers surveyed reported having often or always provided instruction to promote students' self-determination. The most frequently taught skills are related to Psychological Empowerment (self-advocacy skills, expecting positive outcomes), while the least frequently taught skills were primarily located in the domain of Self-Regulation (goal setting and problem solving skills). Furthermore, our findings showed that teachers' gender, class setting, and teaching experience were factors attecting the extent to which teachers delivered instruction to promote self-determination. Female teachers exhibited higher levels of implementation with respect to self-determination instruction. Teachers in general education classrooms showed significantly higher levels of applied self-determination instruction, followed by resource room teachers and self-contained classroom teachers. Additionally, teachers with more teaching experiences more frequently employed instructional activities promoting self-determination. Suggestions and implications are provided.
Perceptions of Students from the Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technologies Regarding the Concept of Curriculum
Author: Uyar, Melis Yesilpinar
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Attitudes,Phenomenology,Preservice Teachers,Documentation,Content Analysis,Curriculum,Computer Science Education,Knowledge Level,Undergraduate Study,Foreign Countries,Teacher Education Programs,Figurative Language,Semi Structured Interviews

In the study, the purpose was to determine the perceptions of students from the department of Computer Education and Instructional Technologies regarding the concept of curriculum. The participants of the study conducted with the phenomenology research design were 212 preservice teachers. The research data were collected via document analysis and interviews. For the analysis of the data, the inductive content analysis method was used. The results revealed that the preservice teachers perceived the concept of curriculum as a process with positive and negative features which emphasize change and development. The results also demonstrated that the participants perceived their levels of knowledge about curriculum as partly sufficient. In addition, it was found that undergraduate education has an important role in the development of these perceptions. Moreover, the results emphasized the need for making more planned and systematic regulations in relation to the functioning of curriculum studies in Turkey. Lastly, the results demonstrated that there is a need for regulations in the structure of the preservice teacher education curricula to give meaning to the concept of curriculum.
Examination of the Level of Adequacy of Sports Facilities in Terms of Popularization of Sports in Bingöl
Author: Celik, Ömer
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Facilities,Athletics,Attitude Measures,Questionnaires,Surveys,Team Sports,Barriers,Gender Differences,Age Differences,Interests,Marital Status,Educational Attainment,Participation

In this study, the level of adequacy of sports facilities in Bingöl province in terms of popularization of sports in the city and the general tendency of the citizens of Bingöl province towards sports were examined. A total of 610 volunteers from various professions, age groups and gender groups from Bingöl city center participated in this study. Questionnaires were applied to the subjects who participated. There are 31 questions in the questionnaire. The sample group of tradesmen and their customers in Bingöl province were contacted by random sampling method. Survey questions were asked face to face for the purpose of getting the necessary data for the goal of the research. In the evaluation of the obtained data, the frequency and percentage distributions were calculated and tested by applying the Chi-square test to see if there are any relationships between the variables. In the light of this research, it is observed that a large majority of people living in Bingöl are interested in sports, and football is the first among all sports branches of interest. The most important factor preventing sports being more widespread was found to be the lack of adequate sports facilities in the city, and it was also observed that public institutions and organizations lack their own sports facilities. For sports programs and facilities to be newly constructed, the public's interest and expectations should be taken into account. It has also been understood that in order to popularize mass sports events in Bingöl, the number of sports facilities and sports clubs should be increased too.
Finnish WorldSkills Achievers&apos; Vocational Talent Development and School-to-Work Pathways
Author: Pylväs, Laura
Date: 2017-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Job Skills,Competition,Talent Development,Vocational Education,Education Work Relationship,Skilled Workers,Expertise,Young Adults,Semi Structured Interviews,Knowledge Level,Problem Solving,Creativity,Interpersonal Competence,Self Management,Career Exploration,Mentors,Qualitative Research,Content Analysis

This paper examines the perceptions of vocational expertise and school-to-work pathways among WorldSkills Competition (WSC) achievers and their co-workers and employers within the Finnish context. At the biennial international WSC, young people (aged 18-to-23 years) from over 60 countries demonstrate their skills in more than 40 trades. Individualized training for this competition is provided through the cooperation of vocational institutions (e.g., expert coaches, team leaders and competition panellists) and industry (e.g., mentors, sponsors, materials, equipment). Semi-structured thematic interviews (N=51) were conducted in 2013 and 2014 with former Finnish WSC medal or diploma winners (n=18) who had since begun their working lives (1-to-15 years of work experience). Their employers (n=16) and colleagues (n=17) were also interviewed. Results showed that in addition to vocation-specific knowledge and skills, problem-solving skills, creativity, social skills and self-regulatory skills were acknowledged as the most significant elements of vocational expertise. The findings also indicated that formal vocational education combined with deliberate practice and training based on expert mentoring improved the long-term career progress and vocational expertise of the WSC achievers.
The Lack of Collaboration between Companies and Schools in the German Dual Apprenticeship System: Historical Background and Recent Data
Author: Gessler, Michael
Date: 2017-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Apprenticeships,School Business Relationship,Educational History,Vocational Schools,Partnerships in Education,Vocational Education,Coordination,Surveys,Job Training,Educational Legislation

On the macro level (federal level) and exo level (state or regional level), the German Dual Apprenticeship System shows a high degree of institutionalised collaboration. However, the companies and vocational schools on the meso level (institutional level and level of the actors), in contrast, are just loosely coupled with a dominant partner (i.e., companies) and subordinate partner (i.e., vocational schools). How and why these structures have emerged, established and stabilised is part of a complex historical, societal and economical process. The historical developmental will be elaborated in the article. The term &quot;dual system&quot; was invented in Germany in the 1960s, and the intention was to emphasise equal responsibilities, partnership of equals, lively encounters and close collaboration between companies and schools. This vision is not yet a reality, as the presented empirical survey demonstrates. A majority of companies do not or rather seldom collaborate with &quot;their&quot; vocational schools. 74.2% of the companies do not or seldom coordinate their work, and 93% of the companies do not or seldom cooperate with the vocational schools. The German Dual Apprenticeship System operates on the actual meso level just on the basis of less than 30% of its potentiality. The term &quot;parallel systems&quot; seems to be more appropriate to characterise the actual situation on the meso level than the term &quot;dual system&quot;.
Humanistic Elements in the Educational Practice at a United States Sub-Baccalaureate Technical College
Author: Chen, Peng
Date: 2017-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Vocational Schools,Technical Education,Postsecondary Education,Humanism,Educational Practices,Constructivism (Learning),Context Effect,Cognitive Development,Faculty Development,Performance Based Assessment,College Faculty,Teacher Attitudes,Student Centered Learning,Semi Structured Interviews,Teamwork,Teacher Role,Observation

Humanism has never been able to establish a firm place in technical education, which remains predominantly pragmatist in response to industry needs, certification requirements and educational standardisation. However, after a period of decline, humanism has made somewhat of a comeback as part of the movement toward student-centred education. Research conducted at a technical college showed that although humanistic elements are largely absent from educational practice in post-secondary technical education, they are not detrimental to the achievement of stated educational objectives. This research indicated that including humanistic elements in educational practice will enable instructors to be more effective in helping students to develop skills in relation to team work, problem-solving, systems improvement, lifelong learning and other areas that are becoming increasingly necessary for success in the workplace. The specific recommendations from this research include a constructivist approach with a focus on contextual teaching and learning using situated cognition, cognitive apprenticeships, anchored instruction and authentic assessment. At the same time, some suggestions for improving professional development for teachers by using a Gestalt approach along with self-study in the context of learning communities have been discussed.
Three Types of Tightrope Dance in the Comeback Process: Preliminary Findings from a Longitudinal Study of Young People at the Margins of Upper Secondary School in Norway
Author: Bunting, Mette
Date: 2017-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Vocational Education,Ethnography,Interviews,Longitudinal Studies,Dropouts,Graduation,Attitude Measures,Reentry Students,Adolescents,Young Adults,Youth,Student Characteristics,Qualitative Research

Fewer than half of the young people attending vocational institutions in Norway complete their education within the allotted five years. Indeed, many of these students have non-linear paths to completion. However, it is not changes in the dropout rate that make this different from earlier generations but the expansion of formal education and the rise of the knowledge society and individualisation. The term &quot;tightrope biographies&quot; is used here to encapsulate why individualisation cannot be thought of in terms of choice, because today's youth are often held accountable for their educational progression rather than this progression being viewed as dependent on institutional mechanisms. The present study characterises young people as &quot;tightrope dancers&quot; in their interactions with vocational schools. Selected data collected from ethnographic interviews during the ongoing longitudinal project &quot;Youth, Completion and Dropout in Telemark&quot; are used here to capture the voices of young people. These data focus on the non-linear educational careers of these youth when they re-enter schools and explore the stories they tell about dropping out and re-entering. These stories suggest that, to succeed, students need customised support throughout the process from school to the workplace and that many depend on this support. The study identifies three different ways of understanding these students as tightrope dancers trying to get back on track, characterising them as The Steady, The Shaky and The Shivering.
Young Children&apos;s Responses to Artworks: The Eye, the Mind, and the Body
Author: Yu, Jacqueline Lye Wai
Date: 2017-08-25
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preschool Children,Visual Arts,Creativity,Imagination,Thinking Skills,Student Attitudes,Qualitative Research,Grounded Theory,Foreign Countries,Preschool Curriculum,Art Education,Thematic Approach,Kindergarten,Teaching Methods

This study investigates young children's responses to viewing artworks in a preschool setting. Based on the responses of 15 children aged five to six years during five art viewing sessions in a preschool in Singapore, the study examines features of what young children see, think and feel when they view artworks. These sessions were facilitated by their class teacher using techniques from Visual Thinking Strategies. The data obtained from the children's responses were analysed qualitatively using Grounded Theory. The findings revealed that children respond to artworks visually, cognitively and somatically, in that they talk about what they see, think and feel. The children's comments featured content, formal art elements, personal connections, creativity and imagination, affect and vocalisms, with personal connections making up two-thirds of their responses. This study highlights the rich experiences that young children gain from viewing artworks and the importance of including art viewing into the early childhood art curriculum.
Digital Process and Product: Engaging the Next Generation of Art Education Researchers
Author: Baer, Stephanie A.
Date: 2017-08-25
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Art Education,Art,Art Teachers,Educational Researchers,Preservice Teachers,Preservice Teacher Education,Teacher Education Programs,Teacher Educators,Action Research

As art teacher educators, we want our students to be passionate, informed advocates for art education and capable of conducting action research as artist/teacher/researchers. Students are constantly in the process of understanding what it means to teach with and through the arts. In our art education program, we work to exemplify this complex process through a curricular structure built around encouraging a new generation of art teachers to conduct thoughtful, digitally relevant research centered on improving the field of art education through examination of their own context and understanding. We describe this process here through specific projects and processes, aligned throughout an art teacher education program and how it leads to a final product with the digital teaching portfolio. Connections are made to the action research cycle and a/r/tographic processes that encourage advocacy and professionalism within an evolving, digitally relevant, process-product experience for pre-service art teachers.
Dress Fashion in Feminist and Child Rights Campaigns in Ghanaian Public Sculptures of the 1990s
Author: Essel, Osuanyi Quaicoo
Date: 2017-08-25
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Feminism,Childrens Rights,Foreign Countries,Sculpture,Activism,Art Education

This article examines how dress fashion in outdoor sculptures of the 1990s in the Accra cityscape accentuated feminist activism, sensitised child right campaigns, and encouraged girl-child education in support of governmental efforts and activism of civil society organisations in Ghana. It gives attention to how dress fashion of the time was used in the social construction of feminist identities and the promotion of child rights through outdoor public cement sculptures. The study takes a multidisciplinary dimension of looking into the synergy of using public sculpture for multiple attention-seeking constructs: dress fashion, feminism, child right and education. Simple narrative analysis was used in the presentation of data gathered through observation and photographic documentation of selected public sculptures of the 1990s in the Accra Metropolis. The study revealed that &quot;kaba&quot; fashion and precolonial feminine wraparound dress styles, contributed to the creation of feminist identities and intensified feminist activism in Ghana in the 1990s.
Resignifying the Negative Space: Troubling the Representation of Learning
Author: Fendler, Rachel
Date: 2017-08-25
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Secondary School Students,Art,Art Education,Educational Research,Ethnography,Photography,Informal Education,Visual Aids,Epistemology

Informed by the results of a collaborative project carried out with six secondary school students, this paper reflects on the methodological and epistemological issues related to the representation of informal learning practices. Borrowing a concept from the arts, I suggest that a representationalist logic in both schooling and educational research contexts can produce a negative space, a data site composed of practices, gestures and experiences that are rendered invisible within dominant narratives on learning. In an attempt to revisit and resignify the negative space of my fieldwork, I use Michel de Certeau's theory on tactics in an attempt to rethink youth participation. Finally, I explore how an arts-informed approach to educational ethnography can account for learning that falls outside the realm of assessment, tracing a connection between artistic modes of knowing, research practice, and the performance of learning as gesture.
Examining the Impact of Scoring Methods on the Institutional EFL Writing Assessment: A Turkish Perspective
Author: Han, Turgay
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Scoring,Holistic Approach,Evaluators,Essays,Generalization,Interviews,Qualitative Research,Writing Evaluation,Decision Making,Foreign Countries,Inferences,Statistical Analysis,Departments,English Literature,College Students,Rating Scales

Using generalizability (G-) theory and rater interviews as both quantitative and qualitative approaches, this study examined the impact of scoring methods (i.e., holistic versus analytic scoring) on the scoring variability and reliability of an EFL institutional writing assessment at a Turkish university. Ten raters were invited to rate 36 undergraduate argumentative essays first holistically and then analytically, with a three-week time interval. The quantitative results indicated that with proper rater training holistic scoring can produce as reliable and dependable assessment outcomes as analytic scoring. Similarly, the qualitative results revealed that all raters prefer using the holistic scoring method because it could help them not only assign fair and objective scores to essays but also facilitate their scoring process. Further, most raters agreed that the content of an essay was the most important factor that most affected their holistic scoring decision making of an essay. In contrast, all aspects of an essay (e.g., grammar, content, or organization) jointly affected their analytic scoring decision making of an essay. Important implications for EFL writing assessment professionals in the institutional assessment context are discussed.