ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
What Are the Effects of Teaching Experience on In-Service Elementary Science Teachers' Conceptions of the Nature of Science?
Author: Akarsu, Bayram
Date: 2007-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Elementary School Science,Scientific Principles,Science Teachers,Teaching Experience,Gender Differences,Inservice Teacher Education,Specialization,Teacher Attitudes,Conferences (Gatherings),Knowledge Level,Familiarity,Interviews,Scientific Concepts

This study investigates relationships between understanding of nature of science and four key factors elementary science teachers possess, which are: (1) Their specializations in different science areas (Physics, chemistry, and biology), (2) Gender issues, (3) How long they have been teaching in elementary school environments, (4) Their perspective and suggestions to acquiring necessary knowledge and understanding of nature of science. This study is also a first part of a big research project. Four elementary science teachers participated in the study. The results showed that participants' views of the target aspects of nature of science were not significantly different according to their major disciplines (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology) but there were some significant differences according to their gender differences. Sample NOST [Nature of Science Test] items (multiple choice) are appended. (Contains 1 table.) [This paper was published in the proceedings of the 2007 Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE) conference.]
Psychological Connectedness and Intertemporal Choice
Author: Bartels, Daniel M.
Date: 2010-02-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Cost Effectiveness,Psychological Characteristics,Psychological Needs,Personality Change,Personality Measures,Computer Simulation,Rating Scales,Schematic Studies,Personality Assessment,Personality Traits,Psychological Studies,Vignettes,Pretests Posttests,Attribution Theory,Value Judgment

People tend to attach less value to a good if they know a delay will occur before they obtain it. For example, people value receiving $100 dollars tomorrow more than receiving $100 in 10 years. We explore one reason for this tendency (due to Derek Parfit, 1984): In terms of psychological properties, such as beliefs, values, and goals, the decision maker is more closely linked to the person (his or her future self) receiving $100 tomorrow than to the person receiving $100 in 10 years. For this reason, she prefers her nearer self to have the $100 than her more remote self. Studies 1 and 2 show that the greater the rated psychological connection between two parts of a participant's life, the less she discounts future monetary and nonmonetary benefits (good days at work) over that interval. In Studies 3-5, participants read about characters who undergo large life-changing (and connectedness-weakening) events at different points in their lives, and then make decisions about the timing of benefits on behalf of these characters. All five studies reveal a relation between perceived psychological connectedness and intertemporal choice: Participants prefer benefits to occur before large changes in connectedness, but prefer costs to occur after these changes. The six characters presented to participants in Studies 3 and 5 are appended. (Contains 4 endnotes, 4 figures, and 3 tables.)
Alberta's Languages Initiative--Education as a Commodity in a Globalized World
Author: Eaton, Sarah Elaine
Date: 2006-05-29
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Critical Theory,Language Role,Foreign Countries,Public Education,Second Language Learning,Second Language Programs,Institutional Advancement,Models,Educational Practices,Interviews,Content Analysis,Position Papers,Program Attitudes,Change Strategies

The phenomenon of marketing in educational institutions has been critically examined by Vining, Topor (2001) and Sevier (1986, 1996). However, no studies have yet been undertaken to examine the marketing of language programs in public education. A timely study is needed to examine the promotion of a recent educational program: the Alberta Languages Initiative which strongly recommends second language education by 2006. The goals of my research are to examine critically: 1) Why marketing techniques were used with this initiative and not other program renewals, 2) How business models are being adopted by educational systems and government agencies, and in particular, 3) How marketing and branding have become part of educational jargon and practice. The new Languages Initiative slated for grades 4-9, scheduled to launch in 2006, represents a significant shift in the curriculum for these grades. By studying this initiative from the perspective of marketing, I will be introducing a new research dimension which focuses, not on curriculum, instruction, program outcomes or content, but on program promotion. The findings will increase understanding of marketing techniques to promote certain educational programs, their impact on student enrollment, and their acceptability to the educational public in local and global contexts. This study is important as it explores how and why promotional means have been chosen and what implications this may have for educational programs in the future. The new critical theory is of particular interest to my study as it would allow me to focus on the internal and external politics of schooling, the social conditions and historical relations in which language education is positioned. The constitutive role of language in the social construction of knowledge is particularly relevant to knowledge as discourses. Habermas' use of critical theory is relevant given his concern with discourse and power, which led to his development of a theory of communicative action, as well as Bourdieu's re-conceptualization of a critical sociology, and Foucault's focus on the relationship between knowledge and power.
Marketing of Revenue-Generating ESL Programs at the University of Calgary: A Qualitative Study
Author: Eaton, Sarah Elaine
Date: 2009-04-00
Type: Dissertations/Theses
Subjects: Second Language Programs,English (Second Language),Interviews,Institutional Advancement,Work Experience,Administrator Attitudes,Delivery Systems,Program Administration,Definitions,Literature Reviews,Research Design,Foreign Countries,College Programs,Income,Marketing,Administrator Qualifications

This qualitative case study endeavored to understand how program managers at one post-secondary Canadian university define, understand and undertake the marketing of their  revenue-generating English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. Data were collected through interviews with three managers of distinct English as a Second Language (ESL) Programs at the University of Calgary. Interview questions addressed the topics of manager qualifications and experience, how managers promoted their programs and what the concept of marketing meant to them. The study used constructivist theory as its framework. It was also influenced by concepts found in appreciative inquiry. In the findings section of this study, recommendations are made for how to improve the marketing and general administration of English as a Second Language programs at universities. In addition, a section is dedicated to how marketing may be understood within the context of revenue-generating language programs. A timeline of ESL program development is appended. A glossary is also included. (Contains 3 tables.)
The Epistemography of an Urban and Regional Planning Practicum: Appropriation in the Face of Resistance. WCER Working Paper No. 2010-8
Author: Bagley, Elizabeth
Date: 2010-05-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Feedback (Response),Urban Planning,Graduate Students,Practicums,Regional Planning,Network Analysis,Ethnography,Epistemology,Instructional Design,Futures (of Society),Graduate Study,Teacher Student Relationship,Reflective Teaching,Teaching Methods,College Faculty,Experiential Learning

In this paper, the author describes an ethnographic study of a graduate-level practicum at a large Midwestern university in order to examine one of the ways urban planners develop expertise. The graduate students in the practicum were guided in the production of a site plan for a developing area by a planner with 34 years of planning experience. In the study, the author used epistemic network analysis to examine the presentation feedback sessions in order to explore emergent relationships between the teacher's planning expertise and the students' expertise. These results have the potential to influence the future design of professional practicum environments as well as the broader landscape of education. (Contains 3 tables and 12 figures.)
The Graduation Rates of Professional School Counselors in North Atlantic States: Numbers of Graduates from CACREP and Non-CACREP Programs
Author: Boes, Susan R.
Date: 2010-06-15
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Graduation Rate,Counselor Training,School Counseling,Counseling,School Counselors,Professional Associations,College Programs,Content Analysis,Consortia,Clearinghouses,Alignment (Education),Educational Objectives

The need for well-trained school counselors is mandated both because of the types of 21st Century needs our school children bring to counselors as well as the numbers of school children that are on the case load of the majority of school counselors across the nation (Snow, et al., 2008; Boes, Snow, & Chibbaro, 2009). Developing similar curricula ensures the advancement of comparable learning objectives that are fairly consistent across programs. Curricula developed to meet standards both national and state, allow PSCs [professional school counselors] to meet the academic, career, and social/emotional needs of students (Boes, Snow, Chibbaro, & Sebera, 2008). While accreditation with CACREP [Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs] was not a central focus of this study, it is considered the basis for specialty programs, a powerful quality statement. Generally school counseling training programs, which have acquired accredited status, tend to graduate fewer PSCs and develop similar school curricula leading to counseling programs in the schools that benefit students (Snow et al., 2008). The production of professional school counselors in the North Atlantic region of the United States was explored. Discussion of the top producing school counseling programs in the North Atlantic Region of the Association of Counselor Education and Supervision is presented. (Contains 1 table.)
Strategies in Translating Collocations in Religious Texts from Arabic into English
Author: Dweik, Bader S.
Date: 2010-07-19
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Semitic Languages,Biblical Literature,Sentences,Semantics,Translation,Communicative Competence (Languages),Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Foreign Countries,Graduate Students,Tests,Islam,Vocabulary,Cultural Differences,Language Processing,Guides

The present study investigated the strategies adopted by students in translating specific lexical and semantic collocations in three religious texts namely, the Holy Quran, the Hadith and the Bible. For this purpose, the researchers selected a purposive sample of 35 MA translation students enrolled in three different public and private Jordanian universities. The data investigated here consisted of a translation test that comprised 45 relatively short sentences of contextual collocations selected from the above-mentioned three religious texts and divided as 15 collocations per text. Students were required to translate these collocations from Arabic into English. The findings have shown that students resorted to various strategies in order to overcome the problem of rendering certain collocational expressions. Employed strategies were synonymy, generalization, paraphrasing, deletion and literal translation. Moreover, the study indicated that the strategy of synonymy emerged as the most conspicuous one for translating lexical collocations while literal translation signaled the first adopted strategy in the translation of semantic collocations in the Holy Quran and in the Bible. Deletion emerged as the most obvious strategy in translating collocation in the Hadith. Two appendixes are included: (1) A Guide to Arabic Transliteration Transcription (Adapted from Al-Arabiyya); and (2) Translation Tests. (Contains 5 tables and 2 figures.)
Characteristics of Effective Professional Development: A Checklist
Author: Hunzicker, Jana
Date: 2010-06-00
Type: Information Analyses
Subjects: Check Lists,Professional Development,Program Effectiveness,Educational Research,Program Development,Guidelines,Instructional Design,Program Design,Teachers,Inservice Teacher Education,Administrators

This article summarizes current research on effective professional development and offers a checklist for school leaders to use when designing learning opportunities for teachers. Effective professional development engages teachers in learning opportunities that are supportive, job-embedded, instructionally-focused, collaborative, and ongoing. When guided by these characteristics, school leaders can design meaningful learning experiences for all teachers.
Motivation and Job Satisfaction of Catholic School Teachers
Author: Convey, John J.
Date: 2010-05-04
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Catholic Schools,Job Satisfaction,Teacher Motivation,Religious Factors,Catholic Educators,Teacher Surveys,Correlation,Predictor Variables,Educational Environment,Educational Philosophy,Self Efficacy,Interprofessional Relationship,Elementary School Teachers,Secondary School Teachers

The study examined the relationship between Catholic school teachers' motivation and job satisfaction. The data came from a survey of 716 teachers in three dioceses (Atlanta, Biloxi, and Cheyenne). The school's academic philosophy and its environment were important predictors of the teachers' satisfaction with their sense of efficacy regarding their work with students and their relationships with administrators and other teachers. The motivation to teach in the school because it was a Catholic school was an important predictor of the teachers' satisfaction with the school. The results of the study confirm that the importance of a religious factor as an important motivator for teachers choosing to teach in Catholic schools and an important predictor of their job satisfaction. (Contains 9 tables and 1 footnote.)
&quot;I Feel So Confused&quot;: A Longitudinal Study of Young Adolescents' Change in Self-Esteem
Author: Booth, Margaret Zoller
Date: 2010-06-16
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Urban Schools,Middle Schools,Early Adolescents,Grade 8,Grade 6,Gender Differences,Self Esteem,Longitudinal Studies,Grade 7,Educational Environment,Self Evaluation (Individuals),Friendship,Peer Relationship,Middle School Students,Student Attitudes,Self Concept,Adolescent Development,Student Development,Interviews,Student Surveys,Teacher Student Relationship,Attitude Change

This paper investigates the growth of early adolescent self-esteem and self-concept as students progress through the middle level years (sixth through eighth grade). Based on mixed method longitudinal research conducted from 2004 to 2007, the study's findings suggest that this sample of 104 urban students' self-esteem changed most significantly during the sixth grade with less variability from the end of sixth grade to the end of eighth grade. While sixth grade appears to be the most dynamic regarding change in self-esteem and self-concept, students demonstrated more complexity in their analysis of their friendships at the end of eighth grade and also revealed a greater degree of differentiated selves in self-appraisals of parents and teachers. Gender differences were also found in change in self-esteem during the middle grades and in the content of self-image. Results reveal implications for middle-level school climate. (Contains 5 tables and 2 figures.)
Accessibility Principles for Reading Assessments
Author: Thurlow, Martha L.
Date: 2009-09-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Reading Achievement,Measures (Individuals),Student Characteristics,Disabilities,Special Needs Students,Special Education,Reading Tests,Educational Assessment,Educational Testing,Measurement,Guidelines,Test Construction,Evaluation Methods,Measurement Techniques,Accessibility (for Disabled),Testing Accommodations,Assistive Technology,Access to Education,Evidence,Standards,Criteria,Annotated Bibliographies,Test Use,Reading Difficulties,Reading Skills

Within the context of standards-based educational systems, states are using large scale reading assessments to help ensure that all children have the opportunity to learn essential knowledge and skills. The challenge for developers of accessible reading assessments is to develop assessments that measure only those student characteristics that are essential parts of the reading proficiency the test intends to measure, and not those characteristics that could be related to the student's disability. The National Accessible Reading Assessment Projects (NARAP) have been conducting research to identify ways to increase the accessibility of reading assessments. This document is the culmination of one of NARAP's goals: to develop evidence-based principles for making large scale assessments of reading proficiency more accessible for students who have disabilities that affect reading, while maintaining a high level of validity for all students taking the assessments. Some of the principles clarify and underscore the importance of well-accepted and widely used practices in designing reading assessments. Other principles have been developed from theory to respond to the needs of specific groups of students. Appendices include: (1) Support for Guidelines; (2) Principle 1; (3) Principle 2; (4) Principle 3; (5) Principle 4; and (6) Principle 5. (Contains 1 footnote.)
Survey of Middle Grades Reading Issues
Author: Humphrey, Jack W.
Date: 2009-09-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Graduation Rate,Reading Programs,Reading Achievement,Public Libraries,Media Specialists,Reading Teachers,Librarians,School Libraries,Middle Schools,Grade 6,Grade 7,Grade 8,Surveys,School Counselors,Principals,Middle School Students,Reading Difficulties,Elementary Schools,Library Materials,Library Services,Faculty Development,Reading Instruction,Reading Skills,School Districts,Summer Programs

There is abundant evidence that schools with strong reading programs have successful students. But building strong reading skills is a complex task, particularly by the time students reach the middle grades. A survey was conducted that involved all Indiana middle grades schools in May 2009. Two types of data analysis were utilized in preparing the report. Quantitative results were based on the rating by counselors, library media specialists, principals, teachers, and others (curriculum coordinator, English department chair, instructional aide, library aide, media aide, and Title I aide). The 15 topics addressed were the following: (1) Classes for struggling readers; (2) Contacts with feeder schools about reading achievement; (3) Employment of licensed reading teachers; (4) Increasing high school graduation rates by attention to reading skills; (5) Library book acquisitions growing to keep collections current; (6) Library book circulation; (7) Professional development for reading teachers; (8) Reading classes available; (9) Reading promotion within the school; (10) Reading skill materials available to reading teachers; (11) School district reading leadership; (12) School reading environment; (13) School-wide reading programs; (14) Summer reading promotion; and (15) Use of public libraries by students. Comments provided qualitative results in all the above areas. A Survey of Middle Grades Reading Issues is appended. (Contains 32 tables.)
Youth in Progress: New York State Foster Care Youth Leadership Advisory Team. Need to Know Series: College and Vocational Planning
Date: 2009-12-00
Type: Guides - Non-Classroom
Subjects: Youth Leaders,Paying for College,Career Planning,Foster Care,Higher Education,College Bound Students,College Choice,Caseworkers

The mission of Youth In Progress is to enhance and advance the lives of today's and tomorrow's youth by supporting their sense of self and responsibility. To do this, they pledge to educate everyone involved in the various systems Youth In Progress members represent to the realities of this experience. Contents of this paper include: (1) Planning for Your Future; (2) Exploring and Preparing for Careers; (3) College and Career Planning Resources; (4) Thinking about College; (5) Paying for College-Financial Aid; (6) Supportive Services for Youth in College; and (7) College Room and Board. [This paper was produced by the New York State Office of Children &amp; Family Services with the help of Youth in Progress. It was written and designed under a contractual agreement between the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (Bureau of Training) and the Center for Development of Human Services.]
Students' Perceptions of the Social/Emotional Implications of Participation in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Programs. Research Monograph Series. RM09238
Author: Foust, Regan Clark
Date: 2009-12-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Extracurricular Activities,Social Life,Advanced Placement,Student Attitudes,Academic Achievement,Advanced Placement Programs,General Education,Qualitative Research,Interpersonal Relationship,Classroom Environment,Stereotypes,Self Esteem,Fatigue (Biology),Sleep,Negative Attitudes,Required Courses,Course Selection (Students),Emotional Experience,Social Experience,Academically Gifted,High School Students,Interviews

Using qualitative methods, the researchers explored student perceptions of the social and emotional advantages and disadvantages of Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) program participation, differences between the AP and IB programs in those perceptions, and whether or not students report experiencing a "forced-choice dilemma" between academic success and social acceptance. The results suggested AP and IB students perceived experiencing both positive and negative social/emotional consequences of their participation in these programs. The benefits AP and IB students attributed to their participation in AP and IB versus general education courses were a better class atmosphere, a special bond among participants, and pride and self-confidence derived from completing the more challenging work, but they lamented the perception of unflattering stereotypes assigned to AP and IB students, the socially limiting workload, and the stress and fatigue. Student perceptions of the social/emotional consequences of AP and IB participation also differed by program. IB students were more likely than AP students to complain about the rigidity of their program because of the reported limitations it placed on class choice, extracurricular activities, and interactions with non-participants; cite differences between themselves and non-participants; perceive a negative stereotype associated with the program; and report experiencing great exhaustion they attributed to the workload. Finally, AP and IB students did not consider academic success a choice and felt that they could maintain both a social life and their academic success; however, "having it all," both social and academic success, required them to sacrifice something. For many students, that something was sleep. Key Terms are appended. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)