ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Forging Research-Teaching Linkages through Action Research: An Example of Facilitating the Development of Competency in Critical Reflection
Author: Lowry-O'Neill, Catherine
Date: 2009-11-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Competence,Action Research,Teaching Methods,Reflective Teaching,Integrated Activities,Higher Education,College Instruction,Masters Programs,Graduate Students,Graduate Study,Critical Thinking,Teacher Student Relationship,Reflection,Questioning Techniques

Action research is an approach to enquiry that forges linkages between research and teaching, with each potentially informing the other in a responsive and creative cycle. This paper provides an overview of a pedagogic action research project which was undertaken in order to respond directly to learning needs expressed by a group of second year students on a Masters programme in Learning and Teaching. An espoused aim of the MA programme is to facilitate the enhancement of the students' competency in reflective practice. This paper outlines the process that took place when learners openly communicated some difficulties they had in this regard, in particular when faced with the challenge of writing their reflections in a manner that consistently demonstrated a capacity to be critical. It adumbrates the two specific actions that were taken within the context of the living theories approach to action research--the use of Socratic questioning and the development of a new approach to reflective writing--with a focus on the latter. The living theories approach to action research begins with the question, "How do I improve my practice?" (Whitehead, 1989) and involves the practitioner seeking out ways in which to influence her own learning and that of others. By interacting with the students in a collaborative process, there is a possibility of creating new knowledge individually and collectively (Whitehead and McNiff, 2006). The outcomes of the project, including the effect of the pedagogic initiatives on student learning, and the development of a new framework for reflective writing--the "Integrative Reflection Template"--are also presented, with the on-going nature of the process of enquiry made explicit. (Contains 1 figure.) [For the full proceedings, "Research-Teaching Linkages: Practice and Policy. Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the National Academy for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (3rd, Dublin, Ireland, November 11-12, 2009)," see ED539248.
Good Beginnings Are Not the Measure of Success: Using an Outcomes Logic Model to Track the Progress of the Irish Integrative Learning Project
Author: Ryan, C. Anthony
Date: 2009-11-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Program Effectiveness,Teaching Methods,Foreign Countries,Models,Measures (Individuals),Higher Education,Integrated Activities,Outcomes of Education,Interdisciplinary Approach,College Instruction

Background: The resources, needs and implementation activities of educational projects are often straightforward to document, especially if objectives are clear. However, developing appropriate metrics and indicators of outcomes and performance is not only challenging but is often overlooked in the excitement of project design and implementation. The authors will show how this problem can been addressed using the Irish Integrative Learning Project (IILP) as an example. The goals of this NAIRTL-funded project are to help students become integrative thinkers and learners. Educational capacity is being addressed through fourteen multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary teaching initiatives to act as stimuli for furthering Integrative Learning in Ireland. Aims: The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how Outcomes Logic Model (OLM) can help develop clarity of thinking and targets in educational projects. Method: OLM is a systematic visual way to present a planned programme with its underlying assumptions and theoretical framework. OLM allows us to describe, share, discuss and improve programme theory, in words and pictures. It can be used at any stage, during design, planning, implementation, evaluation and reporting. It can strengthen the case for programme investment (grants). It can also reflect group processes and change over time. Results: We will present our completed OLM for the IILP using the OLM framework. While outputs are relatively easy to develop, measurable short and long-term outcomes pose significant challenges. Appended are: (1) Outcomes Logic Model for the Irish Integrative Learning Project; (2) List of Participants, Disciplines and Integrative Learning Projects; and (3) Impact of integrative learning experiences on group participants, captured during the fourth Integrative Learning Project workshop. (Contains 3 tables.) [For the full proceedings, &quot;Research-Teaching Linkages: Practice and Policy. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the National Academy for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (3rd, Dublin, Ireland, November 11-12, 2009),&quot; see ED539248.]
Exploring an Undergraduate Public Health Learning Environment through the Teaching for Understanding (TfU) Framework
Author: MacLeod, Fiona
Date: 2009-11-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Educational Environment,Health Promotion,Public Health,Teaching Methods,Foreign Countries,Assignments,Group Discussion,Higher Education,College Instruction,Integrated Activities,Research,Undergraduate Students,Undergraduate Study,Comprehension,Goal Orientation,Intervention,Program Evaluation,Health Education

Background: The BSc Public Health and Health Promotion at University College Cork (UCC) aims to produce graduates who are passionate about their discipline. Teachers need to communicate this &quot;passion&quot; to students, but it can be difficult to know whether this has been achieved. The TFU framework makes such an outcome explicit, through demonstrating student understanding and identifying students' active engagement in learning. Aim: To examine the learning environment of a first year undergraduate module in public health. Method: The TFU framework provided four dimensions for analysing module EH1005: Population Health: (1) Generative Topic; (2) Understanding Goals; (3) Performances of Understanding; and (4) Ongoing Assessment. Results: The identifiable Generative Topic of EH1005 is &quot;the wider determinants of health&quot;. Five Understanding Goals clarify what students need to understand from the module: (1) factors determining health; (2) health issues in the public domain; (3) poverty as a health determinant; (4) major population health issues; and (5) the role of health interventions. Although Ongoing Assessment was mainly &quot;teacher led&quot;, it comprised different formats including informal class and group discussion, as well as formal oral and written assignments. Students could therefore Perform their Understanding across different contexts. The results of the Ongoing Assessments showed that most students reached the Understanding Goals for the module. Conclusion: Applying the TFU framework to articulate the Generative Topic for EH1005, as well as identifying clear Understanding Goals, provides a means of making explicit what students need to understand in order to recognise what factors determine the health of populations. The different formats for Ongoing Assessment and contexts for Performing Understanding, show that EH1005 can accommodate a range of learning styles. The TFU analysis also provides information to improve delivery of the module by identifying less emphasis on &quot;self&quot; assessment as a means of deepening student understanding. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.) [For the full proceedings, &quot;Research-Teaching Linkages: Practice and Policy. Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the National Academy for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (3rd, Dublin, Ireland, November 11-12, 2009),&quot; see ED539248.]
Making Connections for Mindful Inquiry: Using Reflective Journals to Scaffold an Autobiographical Approach to Learning in Economics
Author: Blackshields, Daniel
Date: 2009-11-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Student Evaluation,Teaching Methods,Intentional Learning,Associative Learning,Reflective Teaching,College Instruction,Higher Education,Integrated Activities,Individualized Instruction,Comprehension,Critical Thinking,Inquiry,Economics Education,Journal Writing

This research develops a narrative of incidents of intentional learning by students studying undergraduate economics as represented in their written reflective journals. The deliberate integration of learner reflection, reflective practice and reflective writing into the pedagogy may facilitate transfer learning (Sousa, 2006). Transfer has been identified as an important factor for how the brain learns. The more connections that learners can make in their learning the more likely it is that the sense and meaning of learning will be appreciated and the more likely it is that new learning will be retained (Sousa, 2006). By supporting an autobiographical approach to learning in economics wherein learners individualise learning, connecting their experiences (past and present, academic and non-academic) a pedagogy that advances self-authorship on the part of the learner is encouraged and facilitated. Self-authorship is a central goal of higher education (Baxter Magolda and King, 2004). Students find associative learning in a manner that supports full transfer quite difficult. It is thus important for educators to bridge students' learning from one learning situation to another (Blanchette and Dunbar, 2002). Reflective journaling is introduced as a performance of understanding to scaffold this learning. Student reflective journaling can establish the sense of new learning for them, connect this learning to their existing learning networks and find the meaning in this learning for them. This research describes the design, enactment and results of the development of reflective journaling as an assessment strategy in an undergraduate Bachelor of Arts module in economics in University College, Cork. An appendix presents The Reflective Prompts Used in the Research. (Contains 2 figures and 2 footnotes.) [For the full proceedings, "Research-Teaching Linkages: Practice and Policy. Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the National Academy for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (3rd, Dublin, Ireland, November 11-12, 2009)," see ED539248.]
Ireland's Multicultural Classrooms and Initial Teacher Education: The Convergence of Culture and Pedagogy
Author: Campbell, Maria
Date: 2009-11-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Theory Practice Relationship,Teaching Methods,Preservice Teacher Education,Foreign Countries,Learning Experience,Student Teachers,Semi Structured Interviews,Demography,College Instruction,Educational Philosophy,Problem Solving,Ability,Curriculum Design,Teacher Education,Beginning Teachers,Multicultural Education,Higher Education,Integrated Activities

In the context of Ireland's changing demographics, this paper explores the importance of pedagogic research in informing both philosophies and pedagogical practices in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) which endeavours to facilitate student teachers' engagement with the teaching and learning process in Ireland's multicultural classrooms. By utilising firstly the insights provided by Lev Vygotsky, via others into the meditational role of cultural tools and his concept of the Zone of Proximal Development and, secondly, Basil Bernstein's exploration of curriculum and in particular his concept of the Pedagogic Recontextualising Field, it examines through engagement with data obtained from semi-structured interviews carried out with newly qualified teachers (NQTs) how specific pedagogic practices can be informed by this convergence of culture and curriculum. It discusses the manifestations of the tensions between theory and practice both in the college and classroom context, as experienced by the NQTs and in doing so, provides the author with valuable insights into the need for adapting her own philosophical and pedagogical practices within ITE to enhance the learning experience of the student teacher and to facilitate their future engagement with teaching and learning in the multicultural classroom. (Contains 3 footnotes.) [For the full proceedings, &quot;Research-Teaching Linkages: Practice and Policy. Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the National Academy for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (3rd, Dublin, Ireland, November 11-12, 2009),&quot; see ED539248.]
Technological Change in Assessing Economics: A Cautionary Welcome
Author: Kennelly, Brendan
Date: 2009-11-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Academic Achievement,Computer Oriented Programs,Computers,Evidence,Foreign Countries,Assignments,Feedback (Response),Textbooks,Problem Sets,Economics,Economics Education,Computer Uses in Education,Online Courses,Electronic Learning,Electronic Publishing,Student Evaluation,Program Effectiveness,Program Evaluation,Higher Education,College Instruction,Integrated Activities

The use of computer-based automated assignment systems in economics has expanded significantly in recent years. The most widely used system is Aplia which was developed by Paul Romer in 2000. Aplia is a computer application designed to replace traditional paper-based assignments in economics. The main features of Aplia are: (1) interactive content including problem sets, experiments and news analysis; (2) digital editions of a textbook; (3) assignment sets that are customised to specific textbooks; and (4) immediate feedback for both students and instructors. Its ability to present the dynamics of diagrams and graphs is critical to its use in economics. This paper analyses the effectiveness of Aplia and traditional paper-based assignments and tutorials using summative assessment results. The analysis is based on a managerial economics course that was taught to over 380 students at NUI Galway in the first semester of 2008-09. The course was designed so that each student was required to complete eight assignments for 25% of the total marks available for the course.  They completed six of the eight assignments by Aplia and the remaining two by paper. The final exam was organised into eight sections with each section corresponding to a particular assignment. Our basic test is to examine whether a student's performance in a particular section of the exam is affected by whether the student completed the corresponding assignment on paper or online. We also examined if how the student performed on a particular assignment, regardless of the type, predicted how well they did on the corresponding examination question. We found little statistical evidence in support of either hypothesis. (Contains 1 table and 6 footnotes.) [For the full proceedings, &quot;Research-Teaching Linkages: Practice and Policy. Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the National Academy for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (3rd, Dublin, Ireland, November 11-12, 2009),&quot; see ED539248.]
First Year Students' Mathematics Learning Experiences at National University of Ireland Maynooth
Author: Mac an Bhaird, Ciaran
Date: 2009-11-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Mathematics Education,Academic Achievement,Mathematics Achievement,Higher Education,College Instruction,Attendance Patterns,Assignments,Student Improvement,Integrated Activities

This paper considers the factors that impact on student success in first year science mathematics courses at the National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUI Maynooth). These factors include previous performance in the subject, attendance at lectures and tutorials, the number of assignments submitted, and attendance at the Mathematics Support Centre (MSC). The results of this initial study will be used to identify behaviour patterns that lead to successful completion of first year courses. The findings will help mathematics departments to target support initiatives in areas which are most likely to improve student learning. (Contains 1 table.) [For the full proceedings, &quot;Research-Teaching Linkages: Practice and Policy. Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the National Academy for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (3rd, Dublin, Ireland, November 11-12, 2009),&quot; see ED539248.]
Certification as a SOTL Process: Some Steps along the Way
Author: McCarthy, Marian
Date: 2009-11-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Evidence,Portfolios (Background Materials),Foreign Countries,Higher Education,Certification,Scholarship,College Instruction,Learning,Peer Evaluation,Comprehension,Reflection,Integrated Activities

Certificated Courses in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education at University College Cork (UCC), Ireland, provide opportunities for faculty to develop a culture of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). The Teaching and Learning Centre runs a Certificate, Diploma and Master's Programme which is grounded in a SoTL philosophy. Central to finding SoTL pathways here is the development of a Teaching for Understanding pedagogy and the use of Course Portfolio models to document, peer-review and assess learning. To date, 200 faculty have successfully completed one or more of these courses. The paper examines the Teaching for Understanding (TfU) framework as a useful pedagogical and disciplinary lens, designed to make teaching and student learning visible. It provides evidence from the Course Portfolio work of UCC faculty, across a range of disciplines, to support the claim that TfU facilitates a SoTL process. (Contains 1 footnote.) [For the full proceedings, &quot;Research-Teaching Linkages: Practice and Policy. Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference of the National Academy for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (3rd, Dublin, Ireland, November 11-12, 2009),&quot; see ED539248.]
Higher Education Exchange, 2009
Author: Brown, David W., Ed.
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Collected Works - General
Subjects: Higher Education,Liberal Arts,Journalism,Democracy,College Role,Public Policy,Knowledge Level,Essays,Interviews,Trustees,Colleges,School Community Relationship,Political Issues,Community,Citizenship,Civics,Natural Resources,Environment

This volume begins with an essay by Noelle McAfee, a contributor who is familiar to readers of Higher Education Exchange (HEX). She reiterates Kettering's president David Mathews' argument regarding the disconnect between higher education's sense of engagement and the public's sense of engagement, and suggests a way around the epistemological conundrum of "knowledge produced for a public rather than by a public." Her solution may rouse many arguments, but it is intriguing, nonetheless. An interview with Matt Leighninger, executive director of the Deliberative Democracy Consortium, follows. He talks with HEX coeditor David Brown about the need for professionals of all stripes to value community. In the next article, Matt McKinney shares the work of the University of Montana's Public Policy Research Institute (PPRI). The institute, he writes, "helps citizens and officials build livable communities, vibrant economies, and healthy landscapes through inclusive, informed, and deliberative public processes." The piece that follows is an interview by David Brown with Deborah Wadsworth, a trustee of Bennington College. Wadsworth shares her "500-yard" view of trusteeship and its meaning for liberal arts institutions. The final essay, by Denise Dowling at the University of Montana, looks at the ever-evolving role of higher education through the prism of journalism. She suggests journalism is a discipline that "requires the public" and asks how the university can relate to the different knowledge a community brings to the examination of an issue. David Mathews, in his Afterword, offers his take on what this volume of essays and articles means for higher education. Always provocative, and never pedestrian, he shares his prescription for a renewed relationship between higher education and the public. [For "Higher Education Exchange, 2008," see ED510312.]
Higher Education Exchange, 2010
Author: Brown, David W., Ed.
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Collected Works - General
Subjects: Higher Education,Democracy,School Community Relationship,Interviews,Citizen Participation,Democratic Values,Citizenship Education,Civics,Scholarship,Public Policy,Colleges,College Role,College Students,College Faculty,College Programs,Community Action,Social Justice,Environmental Influences

"Higher Education Exchange" publishes case studies, analyses, news, and ideas about efforts within higher education to develop more democratic societies. Contributors to this issue of the "Higher Education Exchange" examine whether institutions of higher learning are doing anything to increase the capacity of citizens to shape their future. Contents include: (1) Foreword (David Mathews); (2) Beyond Civics and Service: Expanding the Boundaries of Education for Democracy (Scott London); (3) Facilitating Community Democracy from Campus: Centers, Faculty, and Students as Key Resources of Passionate Impartiality (Martin Carcasson); (4) The Rindge Tinge: Art, Dialogue, and Public Judgment (Joni Doherty); (5) Bringing the Generations Together: An Interview (Michael D'Innocenzo); (6) The Community that Cannot Speak (William J. Ball); (7) Higher Education and Community Engagement: Strengthening Democracy Through a University Institute (Katrina Rogers and Charles McClintock); (8) "When the People Speak: Deliberative Democracy and Public Consultation" by James S. Fishkin (Foday Sulimani); and (9) Afterword: An Invitation (Deborah Witte). Individual articles contain references. [For "Higher Education Exchange, 2009," see ED539321.]
What Does Role-Based Access Look Like? Examples from States
Author: Data Quality Campaign
Date: 2008-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Access to Information,Stakeholders,Privacy,Data Collection,Teachers,Data,Academic Achievement,School Districts

Data are only useful if people are able to access, understand and use them. Without access to the right information, stakeholders are forced to make decisions based on anecdote, experience or instinct. For information to be useful, it must be timely, readily available, and easy to understand. Different stakeholders need and are entitled to access to different types of information. For example, teachers and school administrators need access to individual longitudinal information on the students in their charge. Parents need information on their own children. Other users, such as members of the general public or parents seeking information on the performance of their children's schools, need access to aggregate statistics based on longitudinal data that do not reveal information on individual students. By granting access to different types of users based on the kinds of information to which they are entitled, state data systems can provide access to information while fully protecting student privacy. Throughout the past year the Data Quality Campaign (DQC) has captured screen shots from multiple states leading the way in providing access to information for various stakeholders. The DQC believes that these data portals are a way to protect privacy through role-based access while providing appropriate levels of access for all stakeholders.