ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Core Knowledge and Working Memory as Prerequisites of Early School Arithmetic
Author: Arndt, Dominique
Date: 2013-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Arithmetic,Mathematics Skills,Grade 1,Elementary School Students,Problem Solving,Mathematics Achievement,Short Term Memory,Phonological Awareness,Mathematical Concepts,Cognitive Processes,Longitudinal Studies,Foreign Countries,Addition,Multiplication,Subtraction,Grade 2

Recent studies showed that kindergarten children solve addition, subtraction, doubling and halving problems using the core system for the approximate representation of numerical magnitude. In Study 1, 34 first-grade students in their first week of schooling solved approximate arithmetic problems in a number range up to 100 regarding all four basic operations. Children solved these problems significantly above chance. In Study 2, 66 first graders were tested for their approximate arithmetic achievement, working memory capacity, groupitizing, phonological awareness, naming speed and early arithmetic concepts at the beginning of first grade and again at the beginning of second grade. It appears that approximate arithmetic achievement is independent from most other cognitive variables and correlates most with other variables of the mathematical domain. Furthermore, regression analyses revealed that school success was only predicted by groupitizing and central executive capacity, but not approximate arithmetic achievement, when controlling for other cognitive variables.
Critical Reflections on the PGCE (Foundation Phase) Qualification in South Africa
Author: Verbeek, Clare
Date: 2014-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Teacher Effectiveness,Teacher Educators,Preservice Teacher Education,Teaching (Occupation),Admission Criteria

There is a crisis in provision of quality teaching in the foundation phase of schooling in South Africa. This article argues that the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Foundation Phase) (PGCE(FP)) has potential to help address this crisis. The article draws on data from university admission policies, focused discussion between teacher educators from six universities, and a survey of registered PGCE(FP) students at one of these institutions. Through an examination of criteria for admission to the qualification, the article considers which students could potentially be recruited into teaching via the PGCE(FP). The value of students' academic maturity is highlighted in relation to the duration and content of the curriculum, and in terms of knowledge and motivational effects on children taught by these teachers. It is recommended that admission criteria for the PGCE(FP) should allow recruitment of graduates from a wider variety of academic backgrounds, and it is argued that this qualification should be seen as part of a continuum of professional learning and that teachers with a baccalaureate are well skilled to be active lifelong professional learners. Specific suggestions are made for further research to develop a full analysis of the distinct contribution the PGCE(FP) can make to the early years teaching profession.
The Effect of Adjustment Training Based on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy on Adjustment to University
Author: Yöntem, Mustafa Kemal
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Adjustment,Pretests Posttests,Behavior Modification,Therapy,Control Groups,Foreign Countries,Outcomes of Treatment,Experimental Groups,Scores,Drama,Psychoeducational Methods,Coping,Communication Skills,College Freshmen,Emotional Adjustment

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the Rational Emotional Behavioral Therapy Based Adjustment Training on the adjustment level of undergraduates. Participants involved 30 undergraduates from different cities of Turkey. The data were collected using University Life Scale. This quasi-experimental study was conducted as a psycho-educational group activity in the drama room of the university. The effectiveness of the psycho-education program was examined with experiment-control group, pre-test, post-test and follow-up measures and the program was organized as 12 sessions. Posttest and follow-up results showed that those in the experimental group had a higher adjustment score than the participants in the control group. The results of the research showed that Rational Emotional Behavioral Therapy Based Adjustment Training contributed to the adjustment of first-year students coming from different cities.
Student Produced Videos - An Innovative and Creative Approach to Assessment
Author: Speed, Caroline J.
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Video Technology,Biochemistry,Critical Thinking,Creativity,Undergraduate Students,Science Teachers,Science Instruction,Employment,Evaluation Methods,Laboratory Experiments,Instructional Design,Student Evaluation,Student Behavior,Films,Photography,Foreign Countries

The ability to think critically and creatively are essential graduate attributes for science students yet many science graduates lack these skills and may struggle to gain employment. As undergraduate science educators, we are aiming to improve critical thinking, creativity and the promotion of deeper learning in our students. We have designed and implemented an innovative and creative approach to assessment to engage students with laboratory practicals, which are a core component of the biomedical sciences at Monash University. Through the introduction of an innovative approach to assessment using small group student produced videos, we aim to improve skills in theoretical understanding, data analysis and presentation. This paper details the design of instructional guidelines for small group student produced video assessment, the implementation of the video assessment into 2nd and 3rd year biochemistry laboratory practical classes and the generation of research outcomes and evaluation of this novel assessment technique. Observation of student behaviour during the laboratory classes found students were filming/photographing their experiments and appeared far more engaged with the actual experiments than in previous years. In addition, many student videos demonstrated high levels of creativity and critical thinking. The student produced video assessment did provide an opportunity for creative and critical thinking in students but there are still aspects to be improved.
Perceptions of ELT Students Related to Learner Autonomy in Language Learning
Author: Yigit, Gokhan
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Student Attitudes,Personal Autonomy,English (Second Language),Gender Differences,Second Language Instruction,Teaching Methods,Correlation,Preservice Teachers

This study mainly aims to investigate the perceptions of ELT (English Language Teaching) students related to learner autonomy in language learning. In order to have a deeper understanding of the perceptions of ELT students related to learner autonomy a total of 20 students are interviewed. The findings gathered are analyzed according to the year of study in the ELT program (from 1st year to 4th year) and gender of the participants. Content analysis is done for the qualitative data and the findings of the qualitative data are organized according to the students' study years and their gender. The findings indicate that the participants mainly state similar responsibilities, abilities, and activities in terms of their year of study. In addition, qualitative data reveal that although both female and male participants give importance to similar aspects related to responsibilities, abilities, and activities on learner autonomy, they state different reasons for giving importance to those aspects. Additionally, participants give some definitions related to learner autonomy and they prove how versatile the notion of learner autonomy is.
From Social Ties to Network Processes: Do Tie Definitions Matter?
Author: Fincham, Ed
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Social Networks,Data Analysis,Academic Achievement,Correlation,Educational Technology,Consciousness Raising,Network Analysis,Online Courses,Computer Mediated Communication,Graphs,Definitions

The widespread adoption of digital e-learning environments and other learning technology has provided researchers with ready access to large quantities of data. Much of this data comes from discussion forums and has been studied with analytical methods drawn from social network analysis. However, within this large body of research there exists considerable variation in the definition of what constitutes a social tie, and the consequences of this choice are rarely described or examined. This paper presents findings from two distinct learning environments regarding different social tie extraction methods and their influence on the structural and statistical properties of the induced networks, and the association between measures of centrality and academic performance. Our findings indicate that social tie definitions play an important role in shaping the results of our analyses. The primary purpose of this paper is to raise awareness of the consequences that such methodological choices may have, and to promote transparency in future research.
Evaluating Predictive Models of Student Success: Closing the Methodological Gap
Author: Gardner, Josh
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Prediction,Models,Evaluation,Evaluation Methods,Comparative Analysis,Hypothesis Testing,Bayesian Statistics,Data Analysis,Online Courses,Academic Achievement,Case Studies,Mathematics,Computation

Model evaluation -- the process of making inferences about the performance of predictive models -- is a critical component of predictive modelling research in learning analytics. We survey the state of the practice with respect to model evaluation in learning analytics, which overwhelmingly uses only naïve methods for model evaluation or statistical tests that are not appropriate for predictive model evaluation. We conduct a critical comparison of both null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) and a preferred Bayesian method for model evaluation. Finally, we apply three methods -- the naïve average commonly used in learning analytics, NHST, and Bayesian -- to a predictive modelling experiment on a large set of MOOC data. We compare 96 different predictive models, including different feature sets, statistical modelling algorithms, and tuning hyperparameters for each, using this case study to demonstrate the different experimental conclusions these evaluation techniques provide.
First Additional Language Teaching in the Foundation Phase of Schools in Disadvantaged Areas
Author: Lenyai, Ellen
Date: 2011-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Disadvantaged Youth,Second Language Instruction,Elementary School Teachers,English (Second Language),Teaching Methods,Teacher Competencies,Interviews,Observation,Teacher Certification,Teacher Education Programs,Higher Education,Literacy Education,Elementary School Students,Language Proficiency

Second language learning in South African schools is of supreme importance given the multilingual nature of the country. However, there is no certainty that teachers in the foundation phase of schools in poor environments have the skills to teach literacy in the first additional language and produce competent learners. This investigation revealed that the methods that teachers used to teach English, as the first additional language did not develop children's comprehension and communication skills. It argues that if teachers do not use methods that encourage children to communicate in English the children might not acquire the competence needed to use English as the language for learning in Grade 4. Policy makers are advised to monitor the implementation of the first additional language policy and to oversee the development of an English literacy-training programme in the foundation phase that could provide teachers with the necessary skills and appropriate approaches for teaching the target language.
Learning to Read in English: Comparing Monolingual English and Bilingual Zulu-English Grade 3 Learners
Author: De Sousa, Diana Soares
Date: 2011-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Monolingualism,Bilingual Students,Native Language,English (Second Language),Grade 3,Elementary School Students,Reading Skills,Correlation,Reading Tests,Phonological Awareness,Language Proficiency,Reading Comprehension,Achievement Tests

The acquisition of reading skills of 100 monolingual English and 100 bilingual Zulu-English third-grade learners was investigated by measuring their phonological and reading skills. Little research exists on how the presence of a spoken-only Zulu (L1) could influence the English (L2) reading acquisition process. PA tasks were correlated with reading measures in English as an L1 and L2, but significant differences were found on all of the measures; implying overall support for use of PA measures for reading achievement in L1 English monolinguals and in the English (L2) of bilingual children, but with the understanding that L1 Zulu spoken proficiency and L2 English-only instruction influences the underlying repertoire of PA skills used for L2 English reading acquisition, different from that of the L1 English reading acquisition process. The implications of these findings for L2 reading development and using phonological measures across cultural-linguistic groups, for educational purposes, are discussed.
Foundation Phase Teacher Provision by Public Higher Education Institutions in South Africa
Author: Green, Whitfield
Date: 2011-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Public Colleges,Early Childhood Education,Preservice Teachers,Preservice Teacher Education,African Languages,Teacher Education Programs,Native Language

The study reported in this paper investigated foundation phase teacher provision by the public universities in South Africa, with a view to carefully and accurately determine the extent to which foundation phase teacher provision matched national as well as provincial needs. The study draws on data obtained through a survey of teacher provision at the public higher education institutions (HEIs), conducted by the national Department of Education (DoE) in 2009, as well as from data relating to teacher education qualifications and programmes in the Higher Education Management Information System (HEMIS). The study confirmed perceptions that the number of new foundation phase teachers being produced by the public higher education institutions (HEIs) falls short of national and provincial needs, and that the provision of African language foundation phase teachers is particularly problematic, especially in the context of mother-tongue instruction in the early years.
Ready or Not: Kindergarten Classroom Engagement as an Indicator of Child School Readiness
Author: Fitzpatrick, Caroline
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Kindergarten,Preschool Children,Learner Engagement,School Readiness,Predictor Variables,Attention Control,Academic Achievement,Executive Function,Individual Differences,Curriculum Development,Early Intervention,Student Adjustment,Learning Theories,Montessori Method,Short Term Memory,Training

Children's preparedness for school is an important predictor of their eventual academic attainment, health, and personal success well into adulthood. Although kindergarten knowledge of numbers and vocabulary represent robust indicators of children's readiness to learn at school entry, theory and research suggest that self-directed learning skills are also important in meeting the challenges of the elementary school classroom. This review examines evidence related to the potential benefits (e.g. improving children's academic outcomes) of targeting classroom engagement skills, a person-environment fit characteristic reflecting task-orientation and industriousness. Reviewed studies suggest that classroom engagement skills are malleable and robust predictors of later elementary school achievement. Research also suggests that cognitive control skills in the form of executive functions are likely to underlie individual differences in classroom engagement. This paper provides evidence that developing pre-school and kindergarten curriculum that target cognitive control can be a useful strategy for enhancing student engagement behaviour. Developing early interventions that bolster school readiness can then help circumvent risks for later academic and social impairments in childhood and adolescence.
Learning and Teaching Natural Science in the Early Years: A Case Study of Three Different Contexts
Author: James, Angela
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Science Instruction,Natural Sciences,Early Childhood Education,Elementary Education,Questionnaires,Scientific Concepts,Concept Formation,Interviews,Elementary School Teachers,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Urban Schools,Rural Schools

Currently many children in early childhood education cannot be accommodated in provincial department schools. Consequently, different non-governmental institutions offer Grade R programmes in an attempt to support the DBE. Pre-primary schools that traditionally took responsibility for early childhood education also offer Grade R education. The recent policy decision to include Grade R in the primary school is an innovation, which is still in its infancy. It is against this background that the national South African Curriculum (NCS) has to be implemented. This paper focuses on the teaching of natural science in Grade R and attempts to determine if the teaching and learning of natural science has different outcomes in the different contexts described above. An oral questionnaire was administered to capture children's understanding of natural science phenomena, while interviews provided data with regard to teachers' understanding of natural science in the foundation phase. The results show that there are differences in children's understanding of natural phenomena in the different contexts and these differences are related to teachers' understanding of the curriculum, as well as their views of the nature of science.
Methodology and Theory in a Rural ECD Research Project: Capturing Mogwase in &apos;Becoming&apos;
Author: van der Vyver, Sonja
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Educational Research,Early Childhood Education,Child Development,Research Problems,Social Theories,Participatory Research,Action Research,Rural Population,Land Settlement,Theory Practice Relationship

Conducting research on early education development at rural sites in South Africa is challenging. This is partly because it is difficult to capture the vast array of factors that impact on the lives of people in rural communities. In this article the author reports on some of the difficulties, showing how cultural historical and activity theory (CHAT) can be used as a lens in a participatory action research (PAR) project. The author argues that far from being a negative by-product of development, tension, if managed effectively, could be harnessed as a powerful driving force of change and transformation. The article shows what a daunting task it can be for a researcher to make sense of such a process of transformation, especially amidst the seeming chaos of conflicting voices, dichotomous forces and strong interactions active between the people and aspects within such a situation. Referring to a recently completed study in a rural settlement community, the article concludes that the use of a theoretical framework, such as CHAT, as a heuristic tool, could be valuable in helping researchers make sense of the often complex dynamics of early childhood education development within the specific context of rural community life.
&quot;Mama Does Not Speak That (Language) to Me&quot;: Indigenous Languages, Educational Opportunity and Black African Preschoolers
Author: Msila, Vuyisile
Date: 2011-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Blacks,Preschool Children,Parent Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Child Care Centers,Racial Differences,Social Influences,Cultural Differences,Language Acquisition,Cognitive Development,School Choice,Socialization,Language Usage,Native Language,Cultural Capital,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Observation,Interviews

This study explored the experiences of young black African preschoolers as well as their parents' perceptions towards their mother tongue. It investigated the factors that influence black African parents to prefer English over their indigenous language. The paper also explores how aspects such as cultural and social capital affect parental choice of schools. This was a qualitative study conducted in the Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth. Four daycare centres were purposefully selected for data collection where 30 parents and 80 preschoolers became part of the sample. Two of these daycare centres are situated in a historically black area (township), and the other two are historically white daycare centres situated in the centre of the city. The study's findings show that there is much sociocultural influence on language acquisition and cognition. Parental choice of schools and how they socialise their children determine the kind of education their children have and this includes medium of instruction. The children preferred English to IsiXhosa and parental goals of education supported this as they fostered the English language. Yet one of the aspects captured by the article is how aspects such as cultural capital affect parental choice of the indigent parents. Learning a second language might not be simply seen as a pedagogic issue; it can also be perceived as a political issue, and children from a young age become passive participants in a political process.
Strengthening Foundation Phase Teacher Education through Mentoring
Author: Dixon, Kerryn
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mentors,Social Capital,Teacher Education,Communities of Practice,Elementary School Teachers,Foreign Countries,Partnerships in Education,Critical Incidents Method

This paper explores a multidimensional mentorship model implemented between lecturers from the foundation phase at the Wits School of Education and four master's students from the University of Limpopo, as part of the Departments of Education's research initiative to strengthen foundation phase teacher education. Using three critical incidents, we interrogate mentors' experiences of their mentoring practices. Two sets of literature, mentoring and social capital are used as a lens for analysing these incidents. Initial findings suggest the relationship has moved from the initiation to cultivation stage (Kram, 1985; Ragins &amp; Kram, 2007). But, cultural preconceptions, implicit assumptions and institutional practices can impede or enhance information flows and trust. It is argued that weak ties characterised by mentors' heterogeneity is a strength that has resulted in growing professional development. Through a process of reflection-on-practice, we have begun to think of ourselves as a fledging community of practice. This opens up possibilities for the larger research project.