ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Perspectives in Early Childhood Education: Belize, Brazil, Mexico, El Salvador and Peru
Author: McConnell-Farmer, Judith Lynne
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Child Care,Latin Americans,Foreign Countries,Early Childhood Education,Young Children,Equal Education,Access to Education,Educational Quality,Public Policy,Educational Finance,Educational Improvement

Early childhood education (ECE) provision is becoming a growing priority. During the past  twenty years, Latin America has shown a growing recognition in the provision of educational  programs for young children, birth to age eight, is essential. Urban and rural populations  intimated in 2009, that many countries utilizing equitable access to quality early childhood  programs is often seen by policy makers as a means of achieving economic and political goals (United Nations, 2012). Unfortunately, a pre-occupation with economic and political goals may conflict with the provision of quality programming for young children. In a number of Latin American countries provisions for educating young children exist as intent to provide quality services. The continuing challenge is to finance, organize and regulate those well-meaning intentions. The objective of this article is two-fold. First, to describe national policy  efforts that regulate the education of young children consistently. And, second, to reflect the  status of early childhood education programming; and to examine the possibilities for the  improvement of the quality and accessibility of an education for all young children. Five Latin  American nations have been chosen for examination, including: Belize, Brazil, El Salvador,  Mexico, and Peru. (Contains 4 tables.)
Children's Language Production: How Cognitive Neuroscience and Industrial Engineering Can Inform Public Education Policy and Practice
Author: Leisman, Gerry
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cognitive Science,Neurosciences,Human Factors Engineering,Brain,Neurological Organization,Educational Practices,Language Processing,Young Children,Second Languages,Bilingualism,Preschool Education,Primary Education,Public Education,Educational Policy

Little of 150 years of research in Cognitive Neurosciences, Human Factors, and the mathematics of Production Management have found their way into educational policy and certainly not into the classroom or in the production of educational materials in any meaningful or practical fashion. Whilst more mundane concepts of timing, sequencing, spatial organisation, and Gestalt principles of perception are well known and applied, the nature of Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) and the responsibility of the sender in that regard, as well as the maintenance of simplistic notions of developmental brain organization and hemisphericity for language rather than the neurophysiology of embodied language as an example, still inform pre-K-3 curriculum. The paper intends to overview the science of human physiologic efficiencies in engineering terms in an attempt to develop novel approaches and thinking to classroom-based practice and subsequently leadership and policy informed by current neuroscientific realities and by production management and optimization principles now applied to schools, and their consumers. (Contains 7 figures.)
Teacher Knowledge and Dispositions towards Parents and Families: Rethinking Influences and Education of Early Childhood Pre-Service Teachers
Author: Pedro, Joan Y.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Characteristics,Personality,Teacher Attitudes,Preservice Teachers,Parent Participation,Parent School Relationship,Family School Relationship,Early Childhood Education,Preservice Teacher Education,Student Surveys

Historically teachers' knowledge, attitudes and dispositions towards parental involvement have been considerably non-existent and negative. This trend is well documented in the research on parental involvement in education. In the twenty-first century, early childhood educators must possess the current requisite knowledge and skills to meet existing challenges in their work with diverse students and families. Although the tide has changed in contemporary times and the research now points to achieving parental involvement in the various activities of their children's education, recent research stresses the importance of teaching pre-service teachers with the focus and experiences on working with families  (Abrego et al. 2006, Graue, 2005). Moreover, to better prepare future teachers, schools of education need to help teacher candidates develop positive attitudes toward families and encourage teachers to draw upon the knowledge and strengths of families to make the classroom education students receive relevant (Knopf, H., &amp; Swick, K. 2008). The question remains how do teachers develop the knowledge as well as these attitudes and dispositions to work successfully with families? A review of research finds that although practicing teachers believe that working with families is important to positive outcomes for children, teachers reported receiving little formal training and, therefore possess minimal knowledge and skills to work with parents (Hiatt-Michael, 2001). In this paper we explore the various ways that preservices teachers are exposed to information on parents and families and discusses the important issues related to pre-service teachers' knowledge and dispositions on the importance of working with families as an integral part of the education of children. We examined the pre-service teachers' perceptions of their dispositions towards working with families. The survey data on teacher knowledge and dispositions gathered as part of this study is shared and we provide some strategies for a curricular approach towards working with families. (Contains 6 tables.)
The Impact of the Shifting Knowledge Base, from Development to Achievement, on Early Childhood Education Programs
Author: Tyler, Kathleen P.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Early Childhood Education,Educational Legislation,Federal Legislation,Educational Change,Accountability,Academic Achievement,Child Development,Cognitive Development,Piagetian Theory,Knowledge Base for Teaching,African American Education,Poverty

Interest in child development as a knowledge base for early childhood education programs flourished in the 1970s as a result of the theories and philosophies of Jean Piaget and other cognitive developmentalists. During subsequent decades in America, reform movements emphasizing accountability and achievement became a political and social imperative, resulting in the 2002 U.S. Law No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The mandate of the NCLB emphasized &quot;consequential accountability,&quot; now permeating American schooling and curriculum development. The law's impact on early childhood education is discussed with selected professional judgments and data outlined particularly in federally designated Poor Black Belt Alabama counties. Finally, suggestions are offered regarding clarification of  cognitive developmental theory with evidence of misunderstanding of Piaget's theory that may have weakened applicability to early childhood programs and curriculum. Political and professional discussions are included regarding modifications of the NCLB law allowing for regeneration of emphasis on child growth and development as a knowledge base for early childhood education. (Contains 3 tables.)
The Role and Purposes of Public Schools and Religious Fundamentalism: An International Human Rights Law Perspective
Author: Hodgson, Douglas Charles
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Public Schools,School Role,Civil Rights,Access to Education,Global Approach,Elementary Secondary Education,Equal Education,Christianity,Religious Cultural Groups,Beliefs

The question of what are today the legitimate and proper role and purposes of public schools can only be answered by a close examination and analysis of the human right to education which has been developed by such international organizations as the United Nations and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and by such international treaties as the Convention against Discrimination in Education 1960, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1966 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989. This paper will begin by considering the various types and definitions of education and tracing the historical development of the right to education. It will then address the following questions: What are the underlying philosophical rationales of the right to education and how is this right classified? What is the minimum or core content of the right to education under both international conventional and customary human rights law? What were the historical aims and objectives of a primary public school education and what are today the contemporary aims of such an education? To what extent do these aims embrace democratic and religious values and freedoms and can they be extended to accommodate the emergence of religious fundamentalism? (Contains 159 footnotes.)
Media Impact on Girls in the US, China and India through a Gendered Filter
Author: Holmes, Kristie
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Females,Social Attitudes,Media Literacy,Rural Areas,Foreign Countries,Mass Media Effects,Gender Issues,Gender Bias,Cultural Awareness,Culturally Relevant Education,Social Change,Advertising,Television Viewing,Brain,Interviews,Violence,Adolescents,Pregnancy,Early Parenthood,Social Bias,Corporations,Freedom of Speech,Public Policy

While infanticide or sex selective abortion in rural areas of the world may seem to have little to do with a famous musician who is a domestic abuser from the first world who avoids criminal punishment while being applauded and glamourized, the message going out to girls is consistent: they are not valued in the same way that boys are. In order to make adequate recommendations for change to increase the benefit of media, one must look to its source, its use, and its locale. Media literacy schemes may be seen as a localized plan for significant change, and can certainly be of use. However, its impact will be felt globally by addressing the issue at its source by engaging girls in the creation of media early as a career goal, resulting in lasting transformation, rather than decrying the end products and lack of effective public policy. Being familiar with cultural norms is essential to build impactful educational campaigns. Money can be spent by governments or NGOs to increase positive messages, but if it is not possible for the locals to implement the message in their daily lives through the buy-in of local officials and leaders, lasting change is not possible whether it be in the case of Ms. Feng in China (forced late term abortion by family planning officials) or Mr. Brown (known batterer and singer who continues to be rewarded through fame and fortune, suffering little consequence for his crimes) in the United States. Stealthy advertising campaigns and hidden &quot;cookie gathering&quot; of children's data only further exacerbate the impact of negative messages to girls by gathering information on them about their potential &quot;weaknesses&quot; in the form of desire, and what they search for online (food, beauty, fame) and what they crave to be, or look like in order for corporations to sell to them. And of course, what is sold to them (even in the form of an idea) filters out to their greater society, in the context that they live in. (Contains 11 figures.)
&quot;Monkey in a Cage&quot;: The Complicated Loyalties of Mid-Level Academic Women Working in Higher Education
Author: Vongalis-Macrow, Athena
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Females,Career Development,Group Unity,Women Faculty,Faculty College Relationship,Managerial Occupations,Leadership,Promotion (Occupational),Occupational Aspiration,Barriers,Role Conflict,Foreign Countries,Attitudes,Social Support Groups,Psychological Patterns,Persistence

Loyalty raises a dilemma for women's career progression and leadership because it signals  confidence in the organisation, despite the ongoing constraints that organisations present for  women and their leadership aspirations. The research investigates women's loyalty in the  context of higher education. Focussing on a select group of mid-level female academics, the  paper will argue against a common sense understanding of loyalty as an expression of female  care. A critical reconsideration of loyalty as care is made possible by analysing the &quot;utility of  loyalty&quot; and how it becomes a legitimate organising principle that operationalises institutional  and personal objectives. How women enact loyalty draws on agency theory to explain and  analyse the way loyalty is appropriated by women. The results show contradictory actions  around loyalty, however, these can be clarified by agency theory to demystify loyalty and  critically analyse how specific work actions and practices shape explain seemingly  contradictory and emotive responses. The complications around women and loyalty are  expressions of a substantive rationality through which mid-level female academics respond to  the uneven opportunities, limitations and constraints that influence their work, profession and  relationships. (Contains 6 tables.)
Virtual Schooling through the Eyes of an At-Risk Student: A Case Study
Author: Barbour, Michael K.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Case Studies,Student Experience,At Risk Students,Online Courses,Phenomenology,Foreign Countries,Interviews,Observation,Learner Engagement,Access to Computers,Access to Information,Virtual Classrooms,Accessibility (for Disabled),Supplementary Education,Semi Structured Interviews,Telephone Surveys,Productivity,Needs Assessment,Self Management,Performance Factors,Aptitude Treatment Interaction,Distance Education,Electronic Learning

While much of the growth in the popularity of virtual schooling has involved at-risk students, little research exists on the experiences of these students in this largely independent setting. This paper describes a case study of an at-risk student in a rural school in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador who was enrolled in an online course as a means to graduate on time. Data from interviews and video observations were analyzed to reveal several themes. The student was good at prioritizing and understood what students needed to do to succeed in an online environment, yet he often did only the minimum needed to pass the course, and his productivity during synchronous and asynchronous sessions declined as the hour progressed. We also found that the student was limited by the lack of proper technology at home. Based on a single case, we are unable to generalize beyond this one student. However, since the attitude of taking the path of least resistance may have taken hold in earlier grades for this particular student, research into improving virtual schooling for at-risk students may be ineffective or counterproductive by reinforcing rather than reducing those attributes; at least in this instance. (Contains 1 table and 1 endnote.)
Using Creative Multimedia in Teaching and Learning ICTs: A Case Study
Author: Mostefaoui, Soraya Kouadri
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Multimedia Materials,Distance Education,Information Technology,Open Source Technology,Instructional Design,Case Studies,Discourse Analysis,Creative Activities,Evaluation Methods,Student Evaluation,Units of Study,Open Universities,College Students,Course Evaluation,Student Surveys,Web Based Instruction,Computer Science Education,Video Technology,Undergraduate Students,Instructional Effectiveness,Instructional Material Evaluation,Instructional Materials,Material Development

This paper presents a case study based on the experiences surrounding a distance-learning module in the area of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) that includes a creative multimedia component as an integral part of its teaching and assessment. The module requires that students engage in multimedia production to articulate their ideas and understanding of technology-related concepts, in contrast with the text-based assessment practices that are more commonplace in technological subjects. Open Educational Resources (OER) form an integral part of the module both in its delivery and assessment: whilst open-source software and media are used within the teaching materials, students' multimedia work submitted for assessment has the potential to become resources for their peers. The paper examines the challenges encountered in developing the module and provides a preliminary discussion of views, concerns and potential issues faced by students, drawing upon the experiences of the module development team and the first cohort of students enrolled in the module. Whilst providing an overview of these experiences, the text explores issues pertaining to the integration of creative work into a domain where creativity has not been traditionally seen to play an explicit role. The module sits within an undergraduate ICT degree offered by the UK Open University (UKOU). (Contains 3 videos.)
eNOSHA, a Free, Open and Flexible Learning Object Repository--An Iterative Development Process for Global User-Friendliness
Author: Mozelius, Peter
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Integrated Learning Systems,Resource Units,Instructional Design,Electronic Learning,Information Technology,Open Source Technology,Computer Science

This paper describes the iterative development process of a Learning Object Repository (LOR), named eNOSHA. Discussions on a project for a LOR started at the e-Learning Centre (eLC) at The University of Colombo, School of Computing (UCSC) in 2007. The eLC has during the last decade been developing learning content for a nationwide e-learning bachelor of information technology degree (eBIT) and a preparatory programme for the eBIT program (The Foundation in Information Technology, FIT). After analysing the specific needs at UCSC a decision was taken to develop a new repository since none of the analysed existing LOR systems could fulfil the UCSC requirements. There was an urgent need for a system that makes it easier for the eLC staff to store and share course material. The system was designed with the main objectives to enhance the reusability of content and to support the content development process in a user-friendly way to assure user acceptance. We also identified the importance of a flexible LOR design to handle different type of content as well as various user contexts. The development process started with focus groups consisting of staff from UCSC and external project members from Sweden. A requirement analysis was carried out in December 2008, and based on the analysis a plan was drafted for the development and implementation of the system. As an overall system development method we used participatory design, where users have been involved in the design, evaluation and implementation of the system. Iterative testing and code revision for amendments and redesign and have been conducted at universities in Sri Lanka, Finland and Sweden according to the principles of Design science. Our aim with the chosen approach has been to develop a system that will meet the needs and requirements of the users at other universities countries than just only UCSC in Sri Lanka. Based on the testing of the system we had a positive response regarding the searchability and reuse of content but complaints on the uploading of content. Testing conducted in Finland and Sweden has revealed earlier unknown security issues as well lack of user-friendliness in the installation process. The integration of eNOSHA 1.6 with the Moodle virtual learning environment has been successful for the Moodle version 1.9 but with needs for redesign to work properly with the later Moodle 2.x versions. (Contains 4 figures and 2 tables.)
Effects of a Self-Instruction Communication Skills Training on Skills, Self-Efficacy, Motivation, and Transfer
Author: Hommes, Mark A.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Self Efficacy,Skill Development,Open Universities,Comparative Analysis,Training Methods,Supervision,Transfer of Training,Psychology,College Students,Student Motivation,Video Technology,Educational Technology,Pretests Posttests,Independent Study,Communication Skills,Microcounseling,Counselor Training,Counseling Techniques,Distance Education,Followup Studies

This article describes a study on the effects of a self-instruction training programme in communication skills for psychology students at the Open University of the Netherlands in comparison to a fully supervised training. We expected both training programmes to increase students' knowledge and skills, as well as their self-efficacy and motivation concerning the use of skills. Furthermore we expected that both training programmes would lead to the transfer of these skills to daily life situations one year after training. The results show that almost all expectations were met, and that the effects of the self instructional programme in this study were comparable to those of the fully supervised training. The main conclusion is that it is possible to construct an effective self-instruction programme in communication skills for psychology students in distance education and this method could be promising for communication skills training for others groups. (Contains 5 tables.)
Servant-Leadership: The Online Way! E-Learning Where Community Building Is Key
Author: van de Bunt-Kokhuis, Sylvia
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Instructional Leadership,Leadership Effectiveness,Leadership Qualities,Leadership Role,Leadership Styles,Communities of Practice,Educational Environment,Aptitude Treatment Interaction,Social Cognition,Interpersonal Competence,Interpersonal Relationship

The digitalisation of educational communities has increased rapidly in the last decade. Modern technologies transform the way educational leaders such as teachers, tutors, deans and supervisors view and manage their educational communities. More often, educational leaders offer a variety of gateways, guiding the e-learners in their search for finding and understanding information. A new type of leader is required for understanding the needs and requirements of geographically dispersed e-learners. This calls for a compassioned kind of leader, able to reconcile the dilemma of high-tech versus hi-touch in the online classroom. This article examines servant-leadership and its implications for e-learning in the 24/7 classroom where community building is key. (Contains 1 endnote.)