ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Early Education Gaps by Social Class and Race Start U.S. Children Out on Unequal Footing: A Summary of the Major Findings in &quot;Inequalities at the Starting Gate&quot;
Author: García, Emma
Date: 2015-06-17
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Kindergarten,Equal Education,Early Childhood Education,Social Influences,Cognitive Ability,Socioeconomic Influences,Racial Differences,Ethnic Groups,Longitudinal Studies,Surveys,Children,Student Characteristics,Family Characteristics,Parent Role,School Readiness,Educational Policy,Public Policy,Gender Differences,Skill Development,Social Development,Executive Function,Self Control,Child Behavior,Learning Strategies,Minority Group Students,English Language Learners,African American Students,Hispanic American Students,Asian American Students,White Students,Reading Skills,Mathematics Skills,Short Term Memory,Behavior Problems,Interpersonal Competence,Attention,Persistence,Disabilities

Understanding disparities in school readiness among America's children when they begin kindergarten is critically important, now more than ever. In today's 21st century global economy, it is expected that the great majority of children will complete high school ready to enter college or begin a career, and assume their civic responsibilities. This requires strong math, reading, science, and other cognitive skills, as well as the abilities to work well and communicate eeffectively with others, solve problems creatively, and see tasks to completion. Unfortunately, the weak early starts that many children are getting make it hard to attain these societal goals. Knowing which groups of children tend to start school behind, how far behind they are, and what factors contribute to their lag, can help in developing policies to avert the early gaps that become long-term problems. &quot;Inequalities at the Starting Gate: Cognitive and Noncognitive Skills Gaps between 2010-2011 Kindergarten Classmates&quot; explores gaps by social class and race/ethnicity in both cognitive skills--math, reading, and executive function--and noncognitive skills such as self-control, approaches to learning, and interactions with teachers and peers. The authors refer to these skills gaps as gaps in school readiness. [For the full report, see ED560407.]
Parents' Non-Standard Work Schedules Make Adequate Childrearing Difficult: Reforming Labor Market Practices Can Improve Children's Cognitive and Behavioral Outcomes. Issue Brief #400
Author: Morsy, Leila
Date: 2015-08-06
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Employed Parents,Working Hours,Child Rearing,Child Development,Adolescent Development,Family Work Relationship,Public Policy,Incidence,Disproportionate Representation,African Americans,Mothers,Low Income Groups,Cognitive Development,Behavior Development,Behavior Problems,Educational Attainment,Parent Background

Recent developments in employment practices have increased the prevalence of non-standard work schedules--non-daytime shifts in which most hours do not fall between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., when shifts rotate, or when schedules vary weekly or otherwise. For example, computer software now enables retail, restaurant, service, and other firms to predict hourly customer demand and delivery schedules with precision, encouraging employers to create &quot;just-in-time&quot; schedules in which workers are called in or sent home on short notice. By preventing many parents from adequately caring for their children, such practices adversely affect child and adolescent development. This issue brief examines evidence on the prevalence of unpredictable and non-standard work schedules, and on how such schedules impair children's development. It concludes by proposing policy solutions. Key findings include: (1) Non-standard schedules are more common among black workers and less-educated workers, and also among mothers who are low-income, younger, and have spent more years as single parents; (2) Young children and adolescents of parents working unpredictable schedules or outside standard daytime working hours are more likely to have inferior cognitive and behavioral outcomes; and (3) Policy changes should create disincentives to schedule work in ways that impede employees' ability to care for their children. A list of endnotes and references is included.
Five Social Disadvantages That Depress Student Performance: Why Schools Alone Can't Close Achievement Gaps. Report
Author: Morsy, Leila
Date: 2015-06-10
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Disadvantaged,Social Class,Academic Achievement,Child Rearing,Child Development,Intellectual Development,Behavior Development,One Parent Family,Working Hours,Employed Parents,Access to Health Care,Poisoning,Incidence,African Americans,Whites,Racial Differences,Social Differences,Longitudinal Studies,Surveys,Children

That students' social and economic characteristics shape their cognitive and behavioral outcomes is well established, yet policymakers typically resist accepting that non-school disadvantages necessarily depress outcomes. Rather, they look to better schools and teachers to close achievement gaps, and consistently come up short. This report describes how social class characteristics plausibly depress achievement and suggests policies to address them. It focuses on five characteristics for purposes of illustration: (1) parenting practices that impede children's intellectual and behavioral development; (2) single parenthood; (3) parents' irregular work schedules; (4) inadequate access to primary and preventive health care; and (5) exposure to and absorption of lead in the blood. Parental unemployment and low wages, housing instability, concentration of disadvantage in segregated neighborhoods, stress, malnutrition, and health problems like asthma are among other harmful characteristics. This analysis suggests that policies other than school improvement should be given strong consideration, as should the possibility that at least some of these policies may be more powerful levers for raising the achievement of disadvantaged children than the school improvement strategies that policymakers conventionally consider and advocate. A list of combined endnotes and references is provided.
Community Matters: Fulfilling Learning Potentials for Young Men and Women. UIL Policy Brief 4
Author: UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) (Germany)
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Youth,Literacy,Basic Skills,Youth Programs,Community Programs,Cooperative Planning,International Cooperation,Participation,Community Involvement,Learning Activities,School Community Programs,Skill Development

In some countries, the scale of the youth illiteracy problem calls for critical and targeted responses. It is important to help young people in developing countries gain basic literacy skills so that they can contribute to the development of productive, peaceful, and democratic societies. While national commitments and support are important, the diverse and complex contexts of young men and women require community-based solutions to providing and practicing literacy and life skills. This fourth policy brief in the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) series recommends youth engagement in multipurpose community learning spaces and centers with the aim of improving youths' access to full participation in learning and community development activities. This brief describes features of community learning centers, and illustrates how community learning centers from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, Mongolia, Thailand, and the United Kingdom engage young men and women in the planning and implementation processes.
Literacy and Education for Sustainable Development and Women's Empowerment
Author: Robinson-Pant, Anna
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Sustainable Development,Literacy Education,Gender Differences,Empowerment,Equal Education,Adult Literacy,Womens Education,Social Justice,Sex Fairness,Skill Development,Technology Uses in Education,Foreign Countries,Developing Nations

The fact that women constitute two-thirds of the world's non-literate population has been a cause for concern for several decades. Despite a number of high-profile literacy interventions specifically targeting women--including UNESCO's LIFE initiative--the disparity between male and female literacy rates persists in many countries of the world (UIL, 2013). This starting point for thinking about women's literacy has often led to a narrow focus on literacy access and outcomes, and little attention has been given to the social processes associated with literacy learning and development. This study explores how and why literacy programs can contribute to sustainable development and processes of women's empowerment. The paper argues that we can only begin to address the challenge of narrowing the gender gap in literacy attainment by looking in depth at literacy learning and development practices. The paper reviews a range of adult literacy programs, and outlines principles of good practice as a basis for the suggested recommendations for future action.
Youth Driving Community Education: Testimonies of Empowerment from Asia and the Pacific
Author: UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) (Germany)
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Collected Works - General
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Community Education,Empowerment,Case Studies,Personal Narratives,Youth Leaders,Capacity Building,Youth Programs,At Risk Persons,Poverty Areas,Citizen Participation,Conflict Resolution,Social Organizations,Educational Attitudes,Indigenous Populations,Indigenous Knowledge,Disadvantaged Youth

The case stories presented in this publication focus on young people from vulnerable communities that the Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education (ASPBAE) members are actively engaged with and who have been mobilized in ASPBAE programs for youth leadership and capacity development. Their narratives showcase the successes of empowered youth in rising to the daunting challenges presented by their environments. Following a foreword by Arne Carlsen, Director of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, and an introduction by Maria Lourdes Almazan Khan, Secretary-General of the ASPBAE, the self-authored narratives include: (1) Sketches from the Life of an Inspired Bangladeshi Rural Youth (Fahima Prity); (2) Earning and Empowered (Shanti Devi); (3) Changing Rural Landscape through Community Video (Subhash Maule); (4) Living Her Dreams (Sifa Humaeroh); (5) &quot;Ko Wai Au? Ko Au He Tao Rangatira!&quot; Who Am I? I Am a Young Warrior! (Brooklyn Emery); (6) Returning to My Roots (Carol Doyanan); and (7) A Role Model for Timorese Youth (Fonseca Goveia Leite). The case studies presented are a showcase of the innovative programs utilized by youth organisations. The programs provide positive role models, mentors, and counselors from among the community elders and leaders. Just as important is the emotional support that the youth found in the programs. Peers played a critical role through shared experiences and a common language. These programs amplified their voices. In doing so, the programs empowered them--together with their communities--to become responsible citizens and agents for change. [Language editing for this document was done by Damian Harrison. Editorial assistance was provided by Daria Sukharchuk and Puneet Toor.]
Distance Education in European Higher Education--The Offer. Report 1 (of 3) of the IDEAL (Impact of Distance Education on Adult Learning) Project
Author: Schneller, Chripa
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Adult Learning,Distance Education,Higher Education,Lifelong Learning,School Surveys,Academic Degrees,College Credits,Admission Criteria,Student Costs,Student Financial Aid,Electronic Learning,Student Personnel Services,Interaction,Educational Trends,Futures (of Society),Adult Students,Foreign Countries

This report is the first in a series published by the IDEAL (Impact of Distance Education on Adult Learning) project. The IDEAL project ran from October 2013 to September 2015 with financial support from the EU Lifelong Learning Programme. The project aims to: (1) offer insights on the needs of adult learners to both policymakers and distance education providers; (2) strengthen the social dimension of higher education by better meeting the needs of adult learners; and (3) increase the participation of adult learners in higher education through distance education. The aim of this first report is to examine the distance education that European higher education institutions offer, and identify the intended target groups, in particular, adult learners. This report presents a brief overview of the emergence, spread, and current provision of distance education at the European level. For this study, the programs and course units listed on DistanceLearningPortal.com were analysed, and a survey was carried out among distance education providers. The findings go into great detail regarding: (1) providers of distance education; (2) subjects, levels, degrees, and credits; (3) organisation and delivery mode; (4) entry requirements and reported target groups; (5) costs and funding opportunities for distance education; (6) flexibility of the distance education offered; (7) support to students; and (8) drivers for distance education and future expectations. [For the second report, &quot;Distance Education in European Higher Education--The Students,&quot; see ED560485. For the third report, &quot;Distance Education in European Higher Education--The Potential,&quot; see ED560486.]
Distance Education in European Higher Education--The Students. Report 2 (of 3) of the IDEAL (Impact of Distance Education on Adult Learning) Project
Author: Schneller, Chripa
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Adult Learning,Distance Education,Higher Education,Lifelong Learning,Adult Students,Student Surveys,Student Characteristics,Student Motivation,Barriers,Access to Education,College Students,Student Personnel Services,Age,Sex,Employment,Work Experience,Place of Residence,Educational Attainment,Paying for College,Student Experience,Family (Sociological Unit),Foreign Countries

This report is the second in a series published by the IDEAL (Impact of Distance Education on Adult Learning) project. The IDEAL project ran from October 2013 to September 2015 with financial support from the EU Lifelong Learning Programme. The project aims to: (1) offer insights on the needs of adult learners to both policymakers and distance education providers; (2) strengthen the social dimension of higher education by better meeting the needs of adult learners; and (3) increase the participation of adult learners in higher education through distance education. The aim of this second report is to examine the social profile and experiences of students in European distance education (higher education), and sets out to answer the following questions: (1) What is the current student body in distance education?; (2) What are the motivations of students to consider distance education?; (3) What are the main barriers to access?; and (4) What kind of support do adult learners expect to get during their studies? The following are appended: (1) Glossary of key terms; and (2) Country of residence and country of provider tables. [For the first report, &quot;Distance Education in European Higher Education--The Offer,&quot; see ED560484. For the third report, &quot;Distance Education in European Higher Education--The Potential,&quot; see ED560486.]
Distance Education in European Higher Education--The Potential. Report 3 (of 3) of the IDEAL (Impact of Distance Education on Adult Learning Project. Extended Version
Author: Owusu-Boampong, Angela
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Adult Learning,Distance Education,Higher Education,Lifelong Learning,Adult Students,Student Characteristics,Student Motivation,Barriers,Access to Education,Online Surveys,Age,Place of Residence,Occupations,Educational Attainment,Student Interests,Case Studies,Foreign Countries

This report is the third in a series published by the IDEAL (Impact of Distance Education on Adult Learning) project. The IDEAL project ran from October 2013 to September 2015 with financial support from the EU Lifelong Learning Programme. The project aims to: (1) offer insights on the needs of adult learners to both policymakers and distance education providers; (2) strengthen the social dimension of higher education by better meeting the needs of adult learners; and (3) increase the participation of adult learners in higher education through distance education. This third report examines the profile of potential students within the target group of adult learners. The aim is to find out their profiles, their reasons for entering distance education, and the barriers they face in doing so. The report includes the following: (1) research methodology and data sets; (2) empirical results of the following: an online questionnaire, study choice analytics, and country case studies; and (3) synthesis and conclusion of the various findings of the questions in the study. This extended version of the report contains an annex (appendix) section that includes the following: (1) Study choice analytics overview of country groupings; (2) Online Questionnaire; (3) A list of country reports; (4) IDEAL Case Study--Finland (Nina Haltia); (5) IDEAL Case Study--Germany (Joachim Stöter and Carl von Ossietzky); (6) IDEAL Case Study--Greece (Spiros Borotis); (7) IDEAL Case Study--Hungary (Anikó Kálmán, Éva Cseszka, Maria Kocsis Baán, and Fodorné Tóth Krisztina); and (8) IDEAL Case Study--United Kingdom (John Rose-Adams and John Butcher). A glossary and bibliography are included. Individual reports and case studies contain references. [For the first report, &quot;Distance Education in European Higher Education--The Offer,&quot; see ED560484. For the second report, &quot;Distance Education in European Higher Education--The Students,&quot; see ED560485.]
Literacy and Women's Empowerment: Stories of Success and Inspiration
Author: Eldred, Janine
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Females,Womens Education,Empowerment,Civil Rights,Access to Education,Literacy Education,Participation,Family Literacy,Bilingualism,Nutrition,Equal Opportunities (Jobs),Foreign Countries,Developing Nations,Adult Literacy,Social Influences,Public Health,Income,Outcomes of Education,Social Change,Sex Fairness

This paper explores how literacy learning can support women's empowerment and the development of greater equality, benefitting not only individual women, but families, communities and economies too. It describes and reflects upon some of the most promising approaches to developing literacy and learning for women, who form the majority of the world's illiterate adults. Key success factors are identified to inform recommendations for others seeking to support the empowerment of women. These are stories of hope and possibility. They demonstrate how, with imagination and determination, literacy learning is taking place and making a difference. Some programmes are available because policies and strategies are in place at international, national or regional levels. In other cases, developments are due to local initiatives, inspired belief in learning for everyone, and voluntary determination. They show how change, transformation and empowerment of some of the world's most vulnerable women, and the development of greater equality are possible. The stories are drawn from LIFE (Literacy Initiative for Empowerment), E-9 (nine high-population countries) and SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) countries. A bibliography is included.
UNESCO-UNEVOC Regional Forum Latin America and the Caribbean: Advancing TVET for Youth Employability and Sustainable Development (San José, Costa Rica, August 27-28, 2013). Meeting Report
Author: UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (Germany)
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Vocational Education,Technical Education,Employment Potential,Youth,Sustainable Development,Skill Development,Regional Cooperation,Meetings,Higher Education,Secondary Education

To strengthen global and regional harmonization for the advancement of TVET transformation through the capacities of UNEVOC's unique global Network of specialized TVET institutions and affiliated partners, the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre organized a series of meetings to be held in all regions of the world. The meetings are organized following the recommendations outlined in the Shanghai Consensus, in which the role of the UNEVOC Network is highlighted as playing a key role in developing the capacities of decision-makers and practitioners, and facilitate the involvement of all stakeholders in TVET transformation and development across the globe. The Regional Forum Latin America and the Caribbean was organized in collaboration with the Instituto Nacional de Aprendizaje (INA, Costa Rica) and took place in San José, Costa Rica. The 2-day forum provided a platform for regional and national institutions to come together and share evidence-based promising practices and initiatives that aim to tackle youth employment and address environmental challenges in the Latin America and Caribbean region. Annexes include: (1) List of participants; and (2) Resources.
UNESCO-UNEVOC Regional Forum Europe, CIS and North America: Advancing TVET for Youth Employability and Sustainable Development (Moscow, Russian Federation, October 28-30, 2013). Meeting Report
Author: UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (Germany)
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Vocational Education,Technical Education,Employment Potential,Youth,Sustainable Development,Skill Development,Regional Cooperation,Higher Education,Meetings,Education Work Relationship,Educational Innovation,International Cooperation

The UNESCO-UNEVOC Regional Forum for Europe and North America was co-hosted by Moscow-based CVETS National Observatory on Vocational Education/Centre for VET Studies, with the support of the Moscow Institute for the Development of Education. It was the fourth of five regional follow-ups to the Shanghai Consensus on developing and sharing policy and Promising Practices on youth and skills and greening TVET. The forum brought together more than 100 highly experienced TVET practitioners, UNEVOC network cluster leaders, representatives of international policy advisory and labour-market research organizations and government ministers. Delegates shared and discussed evidence-based examples of Promising Practices; challenges and advances in programmes and projects on youth skills, employability and transition to the workplace; opportunities to integrate ecological considerations and sustainable development in training; and ways to identify new training profiles where green skills would be of increasing importance in the future. They also sought to enhance regional harmonization through international dialogue and aimed at making progress on these global issues mentioned above. Annexes include: (1) Agenda; (2) Participants; (3) Session chairs, moderators, and facilitators; and (4) Distribution.