ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Employer-Sponsored Educational Assistance Benefits on Community College Student Outcomes
Author: Tran, Henry
Date: 2017-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Community Colleges,Two Year College Students,Student Financial Aid,Employers,Private Financial Support,Tuition,Outcomes of Education,School Holding Power,Federal Legislation,Taxes,Longitudinal Studies,Postsecondary Education,Regression (Statistics),Statistical Analysis

Studies of community college finance often focus on revenue sources from the state and local government, private foundations, and tuition. While these resources are important, an often-neglected source of revenue is employer-sponsored educational assistance benefits for students. Given the dearth of literature on the benefits of this funding source, especially for community college students, our study shines light on the topic. Specifically, this study reports on the impacts of Section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code, employer-sponsored educational assistance benefits, on degree-seeking public community college student outcomes based on a propensity score matching analytic strategy. Our results suggest that the majority of two-year public college students (over 90%) do not receive these educational assistance benefits, but those who do have better retention and attainment outcomes than a comparable group that do not. Because we did not find an impact of employer-sponsored educational assistance benefits for more immediate outcomes (such as GPA and total credit hours by the end of students' first year), the evidence suggests that employer-sponsored educational assistance benefits positively impact longer-term student outcomes rather than more immediate ones. Our findings have potential implications for student aid policies, especially as they relate to improving the awareness, advocacy and availability of employer-sponsored educational assistance benefits and support, as well as encouraging further investment from employers or legislation promoting to promote its use.
Common Core, Socioeconomic Status, and Middle Level Student Achievement: Implications for Teacher Preparation Programs in Higher Education
Author: Dotson, Lauren
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Socioeconomic Status,Academic Achievement,Teacher Education Programs,Standardized Tests,Accountability,Poverty,Middle School Students,Higher Education,Preservice Teachers,Preservice Teacher Education,Curriculum,Common Core State Standards,Educational Legislation,Elementary Secondary Education,Federal Legislation

This paper provides a history of the standardized testing and accountability movement, the curriculum standards attached to the accountability movement, and the attempted shift to common core. Student poverty and its impact on student achievement are the focus of this paper. Recognizing the impact of poverty on student achievement as measured by standardized tests the authors question the explicit practices of teacher preparation programs in preparing teacher candidates to work with students of poverty, particularly at the middle level.
Distance Learning Students&apos; Evaluation of E-Learning System in University of Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
Author: Al-Juda, Mefleh Qublan B.
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Electronic Learning,Educational Technology,Student Attitudes,College Students,Student Surveys,Questionnaires,Training,Technical Support,Regression (Statistics),Lecture Method,Distance Education,Gender Differences,Statistical Analysis,Correlation

This study evaluates the experiences and perceptions of students regarding e-learning systems and their preparedness for e-learning. It also investigates the overall perceptions of students regarding e-learning and the factors influencing students' attitudes towards e-learning. The study uses convenience sampling in which students of the Education &amp; Arts and Business Administration colleges were e-mailed the survey. Of the distributed questionnaires, 500 completed were received and analysed. The findings revealed that the majority of the sampled participants used and benefited from the e-learning system. The results also indicated that students underwent an adequate training program provided by the University on the use of e-learning. Furthermore, the results disclosed that participants reasonably received technical support when they used electronic cards on e-learning web portals. In addition, regression analysis found that only recorded lectures help to compensate for the virtual class, manuals, instructions and guidelines published at web portals, and the easiness of e-learning system provided by the University were statistically significant with the positive attitude towards the e-learning system. The findings provided a preliminary framework for future studies on e-learning systems across Saudi universities. The findings also suggest administrators, researchers, decision makers, and policy makers should properly plan, design, implement, and promote e-learning with a clear vision in Saudi Arabia.
Thinking as a Student: Stimulating Peer Education with an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant in the Humanities Classroom
Author: Karpenko, Lara
Date: 2017-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Undergraduate Students,Peer Teaching,Humanities,Case Studies,Teaching Assistants,Pilot Projects,Direct Instruction,Outcomes of Education,Classroom Environment,Professional Identity,Educational Benefits

In this article, I argue that peer educational experiences should be incorporated into the undergraduate humanities classroom by providing a case study of a successful Undergraduate Teaching Assistant (UTA) pilot. In keeping with Topping &amp; Ehly's (2001) criteria for successful peer education, I assigned the UTA a significant role in direct instruction. Partly owing to the UTA's active classroom role, the experience enhanced learning for students and helped me create a dynamic, critically-engaged class environment. The experience also provided an opportunity for the UTA to engage in deep learning and develop a professional identity; near the end of this article, the UTA shares his reflection about the experience.
Agency Construction and Navigation in Oral Narratives of English Learning by Chinese College English Majors
Author: Lin, Qiuming
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Majors (Students),Language Patterns,Oral Language,Foreign Countries,Linguistic Theory,Personal Narratives,Semantics,Interviews,Self Concept,Undergraduate Students,Discourse Analysis,Phrase Structure

The current study aims to investigate the discursive construction and navigation of agency in oral narratives of English learning by Chinese college English majors. Based on the theoretical framework integrating Bamberg et. al.'s theory of identity dilemma and Hallidayan systemic functional linguistics, the study has addressed two research questions: 1) How do the speakers construct different levels of agency in their narratives? 2) How do the speakers navigate among different levels of agency throughout their narratives? The research data comes from monthly-based individual interviews with the participants for one year, from which significant English-learning stories are selected. Then transitivity analysis and logico-semantic analysis are conducted to the stories clause by clause so as to find out the linguistic patterns for agency construction and navigation. The study has found that speakers construct different levels of agency with various transitivity patterns, and navigate the agency dilemma by moving back and forth among different levels of agency with various logico-semantic relations. It has also illustrated that agency is not a fixed entity that a speaker possesses, but constructed and negotiated dynamically by the speaker all the way through his/her narratives.
Clinical Supervision, a Proposal for Ensuring the Effectiveness of English Language Teaching at Public Universities in Colombia
Author: Paba, Luz Alba
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Language Proficiency,Scores,Statistical Analysis,State Universities,Foreign Countries,Educational Quality,Spanish,Bilingualism,Language Teachers,Administrator Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Formative Evaluation,Teacher Supervision,Likert Scales,Teacher Evaluation,Feedback (Response),Reliability,Validity,Measures (Individuals),Instructional Effectiveness,Educational Objectives

This research is a report on a quantitative study carried out at the English Departments of three public universities in the Caribbean coast of Colombia. Its main purpose was to analyze the strategies English departments coordinators use to enhance the quality of education their institutions provide in terms of bilingualism. The participants were 39 English teachers and 3 English department coordinators. The results from this research revealed that all three universities struggled with their teachers' assessment process, as well as, placed below the national average in their English language proficiency scores. As a result, a plan was designed for a strategy that would successfully meet the goals.
Equity and Access in Charter Schools: Identifying Issues and Solutions
Author: Marshall, David T.
Date: 2017-08-07
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Equal Education,Access to Education,Charter Schools,School Choice,Diversity (Institutional),Student Diversity,Student Transportation,Admission (School),Educational Quality,Teacher Effectiveness,Case Studies,Educational Change

School choice exists in American public schooling, even where official school choice policy is absent. Parents with means can elect to live in neighborhoods zoned for desirable schools, whereas parents without means are locked out of that opportunity. In their ideal, charter schools have the ability to expand access to desirable schools to families who previously had little choice in their children's schools. However, issues of equity and access often limit options for the very families who are seeking them. This paper examines four such issues in charter schools--school diversity, access to transportation, application processes, and access to quality teachers as equity and access. The issues are problematized and case studies that have worked towards resolving these issues are examined.
Interrelations between Policymakers&apos; Intentions and School Agents&apos; Interpretation of Accountability Policy in Israel
Author: Amdur, Lisa
Date: 2017-08-14
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Educational Policy,Policy Formation,Evidence Based Practice,Accountability,Mixed Methods Research,Principals,Administrator Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Case Studies,Intention,Correlation,Educational Practices,Semi Structured Interviews,Observation,Questionnaires,Elementary School Teachers,Secondary School Teachers,Elementary Schools,Secondary Schools

The study examined the interrelations between policymakers' intentions for test-based accountability policy and school agents' perceptions and actions with regard to this policy. Mixed methods were used and encompassed 24 policymakers, 80 school principals, 168 teachers and case studies of four schools. New institutional theory, including the concept of &quot;environmental shift&quot; (Powell &amp; Di Maggio, 1991) and the metaphor of &quot;coupling&quot; (Weick, 1976), served as the conceptual framework. Findings indicate that the interrelations between intentions, perceptions and actions are mainly tightly coupled. These are discussed by invoking three types of institutional isomorphism (DiMaggio &amp; Powell, 1983): coercive, mimetic and normative.
The PaCT: Parents, Children and Teacher Partnership in Developing ESL Literacy
Author: Harji, Madhubala Bava
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Partnerships in Education,Parent Participation,Family School Relationship,Parent Teacher Cooperation,Story Reading,Literacy Education,Interviews,Journal Writing,Home Visits,Program Effectiveness,Scaffolding (Teaching Technique),Reading Habits,Young Children,Early Childhood Education,Reading Skills,Qualitative Research

Malaysia government has called for schools and parents to collaborate in nurturing the culture of reading among children, as there is no formalised programme for a more active involvement of parents in academic matters. Based on the positive results of school-home partnership of past studies, this study proposed a formalised partnership, i.e. the Smart Partnership in Reading in English (SPIRE) project. The six month project aimed to foster a partnership among the teacher, parents and children in an English storybook reading programme. It involved 25 multiracial five year old children, 25 parents and a class teacher. The parents, in partnership, with the teacher scaffold the children's reading development by reading storybooks to the children at home. Qualitative data gathered via interviews, teacher journals and home visits showed the children largely benefited from the teacher and parents collaboration. The outcome of the study was the formation of two levels of partnerships, firstly, the formation of a teacher-parent partnership, where the teacher scaffolds the parents, who in turn scaffold the children's development of reading skills at home. Secondly, the family partnership, where all family members, including extended family members were involved in scaffolding the children's reading development. This partnership also positively influenced the other children and teachers beyond the participating group. Another pertinent outcome was a clear link between the levels of partnership and the children's reading progress. The closer the parents worked with the teacher, the better was the children's reading progress. Similar partnership can also leave conventional splits in EFL context in the past and genuine sharing of responsibilities for EFL literacy development in the future.
Quality Management in Higher Education: Review and Perspectives
Author: Papanthymou, Anastasia
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Quality,Higher Education,Resource Allocation,Barriers,Educational Administration,Transformational Leadership,Personality,Values,College Faculty,Human Capital,Economic Factors,Institutional Characteristics,College Role,Expectation,Factor Analysis,Developing Nations,Models,Total Quality Management,Educational Research,Statistical Analysis,Journal Articles,Conference Papers,College Administration

This paper is a review which presents a summary of 52 studies from 2006 to 2016 in Quality Management (QM) within Higher Education Institutes (HEIs). The aim of this paper is to submit evidence regarding the level of QM in HEIs, particularly in developing countries, and also to enhance the research in the field of QM. The findings reveal that from 2013 onward there is an increased interest in the items of QM mainly in Arabic countries. Moreover, the findings include Critical Success Factors (CSFs), obstacles and benefits that confirm and supplement previous literature. The type (private or public) and age of university, transformational leadership, integration, respect of a person, character, constructive conflict, creative tension, enthusiasm, awareness and orientation of employees and faculty and resource allocation are CSFs that this study reveals. Also, infrastructure limitations focused on human and financial capital, limited involvement of stakeholders and measurement of a complex range of performance indicators are barriers which enrich the analysis. Moreover, the extra benefits of QM practices are that QM is appropriate to the purpose of HEIs, meets the expectations and the new roles of HEIs, and lastly, the implementation of QM practices can solve problems and propose solutions.
21st Century Professional Skill Training Programs for Faculty Members--A Comparative Study between Virginia Tech University, American University &amp; King Saud University
Author: Al-Majed, Asma
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,College Faculty,Comparative Analysis,Faculty Development,Skill Development,Qualitative Research,Conferences (Gatherings),Teacher Workshops,Teacher Orientation,Consultation Programs,Electronic Learning,Discussion Groups,Electronic Publishing,Web Sites,Meetings,Summer Programs

The 21st century faculty member is expected to teach, engage the learner, absorb new discoveries and rely on different knowledge in the execution of duties. This calls for up-to-date skills for instruction, assessment, and identification of opportunities by faculty members to promote learning. This paper investigates the prospects of promoting training programs for faculty members in Saudi universities by presenting a comparison of qualitative data between the efforts of two major American universities, the American University and Virginia Tech University, and the efforts of King Saud University. This comparison tries to display how these universities endeavor to meet the current teaching and learning needs. The results are not surprising; the two American universities are coming up with skills training programs that are deemed to be appropriate, including: conferences and workshops, faculty member orientations, consulting, instructional support, online training, discussion forums, family-led discussions, junior faculty training, and summer training programs. They appear to have successfully instituted the 21st century focused skills training programs. Consequently, faculty members from these universities are able to provide students with the knowledge needed to navigate the current challenges. In contrast, King Saud University may have not instituted the programs effectively. Unfortunately, it has not prioritized 21st century professional skill training programs that would make faculty members fit well in the changed learning environments. However, there is a chance for fully implementing new programs that suit the current challenges and needs for faculty members in Saudi universities. Therefore, the paper provides some recommendations for trainers as well as program developers on the light of these results.
Effect of ICT Skills on the Job Satisfaction of Teacher Educators: Evidence from the Universities of the Sindh Province of Pakistan
Author: Sahito, Zafarullah
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Job Satisfaction,Teacher Educators,Teacher Competencies,Technological Literacy,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Technology Uses in Education,Educational Technology,Expertise,Foreign Countries,Semi Structured Interviews,Teacher Attitudes,Qualitative Research

This research paper is a reflection of the results of collected data from Teacher Educators (TEs) regarding their skills and expertise in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Seven themes were inductively identified and called, 7Es like as: (a). Expertise in use of windows programmes; (b). Expertise in use of security measures; (c). Expertise in use of hardware instruments; (d). Expertise in use of internet; (e). Expertise in creating accounts; (f). Expertise in installation of softwares; and (g). Expertise in use of softwares. All extracted themes reveal the utility of the study and thematic analysis.
Field Experience: Experiential Learning as Complementary to the Conceptual Learning for International Students in a Graduate Teacher Education Program
Author: Akinde, Oluwatoyin Adenike
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Field Experience Programs,Experiential Learning,Foreign Students,Graduate Students,Preservice Teacher Education,Foreign Countries,Focus Groups,Student Teacher Attitudes,Cross Cultural Training,Educational Attitudes,Leadership,Instruction,Educational Change,Transfer of Training,Mixed Methods Research,Likert Scales,Correlation,Questionnaires,Arabs,Interviews

This study examined the value of field experience as a component of study for international students in a Graduate Teacher Education program at a Midwestern liberal arts university. The purpose of the field experience was to provide a contextual basis for student learning. The espoused research method included a quantitative component via survey and qualitative data, through a focus group interview and participants' field notes. As a result, there is evidence to suggest that the field experience program, as a component of the graduate education program for international students was valuable. Participants described it as being &quot;relevant&quot; and &quot;real.&quot; As evident from the field notes, participants reflected on the opportunity for cross-cultural application of their learning, while emphasizing that the learning was palpable and reinforced their conceptual learning. Through the field experience program, participants reported that they gained in-depth insight on leadership and classroom instruction; therefore, they were able to improve their craft as educational leaders. Moreover, evidence from this study also suggests that participants were prepared to approach meaningful educational reform upon returning to their homeland, in Saudi Arabia.
A Comparative Study of Faculty Members&apos; Career Advancement (Promotion) Systems in the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran: &quot;Case Analysis of the University of Tehran and Portland State University&quot;
Author: Tanaomi, Mohammad Mehdi
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Comparative Analysis,College Faculty,Faculty Promotion,Differences,Public Colleges,Evaluation Criteria,Faculty Evaluation,Productivity,Centralization,Decision Making,Tenure,Islam,Ideology,Nontenured Faculty

This article examines the similarities and differences in the systems for faculty career advancement in higher education institutions in the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The analysis focuses on two specific cases: the University of Tehran and Portland State University. Through this paired comparison, we draw out the similarities between the two cases. Both cases are public universities and share similar criteria pertaining to productivity in research, teaching, and community outreach/service as central aspects in their respective faculty evaluation guidelines. On the other hand, we find significant differences in terms of the following parameters: the degree of centralization in the decision-making process regarding promotion and tenure, specific guidelines pertaining to the adherence to Islamic ideology in the Iranian case, which lack a comparative equivalent in the American case, the presence or absence of institutional mechanisms for faculty representation, and disparity in the ratio of tenure-track to non-tenure track faculty. The purpose of this article is to improve universities faculty members' career advancement (promotion) systems through the identification of effective practices in an effort to develop better organizational models of higher education.
Quality Instruction as a Motivating Factor in Higher Education
Author: Sogunro, Olusegun A.
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Quality,Teaching Methods,Student Motivation,Graduate Students,Focus Groups,Data Collection,Academic Persistence,Andragogy,Competence,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Knowledge Level,Technological Literacy,School Policy,State Universities,Questionnaires,Instructional Effectiveness

The importance of quality instruction in motivating students in higher education cannot be overemphasized. Without quality instruction, students' motivation to learn recedes. Five focus groups of graduate students aided the data collection for this study. More than one-third of the 119 participating graduate students involved in this study claimed that quality of instruction was the raison d'être for their motivation in higher education. The implications of quality instruction for practice (i.e., andragogical competency, adequate preparation and organization, content and currency of knowledge, technological competency, resourcefulness, and dispositional attributes), institutional policy, and further research are also discussed.