ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Early Career Teachers' Self-Efficacy for Balanced Reading Instruction
Author: Hastings, Petra
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Self Efficacy,Reading Instruction,Reading Programs,Beginning Teachers,Teacher Effectiveness,Professional Development,Teacher Attitudes,Interviews,Foreign Countries

According to Bandura (1986; 1997), perceptions of efficacy are based on four sources: enactive attainment; vicarious experience; physiological and emotional states; and verbal persuasion. The factors affecting Early Career Teachers' self-efficacy for reading instruction are closely related to these four sources. It is not difficult to imagine an Early Career Teacher practicing within a &quot;source vacuum&quot; as he or she attempts to grapple with the methodologies and strategies necessary for a balanced reading program. How, then, do they rate their teaching efficacy for this area of the curriculum? And which types of professional learning opportunities do they believe have heightened their self-efficacy for task-specific elements of reading instruction? Based on interviews and literature analysis, the findings suggest that enactive attainment and vicarious experiences are two sources of self-efficacy that need to be included in a focused manner in Early Career Teachers' professional learning for reading instruction. (Contains 2 tables.)
&quot;Me as a Science Teacher&quot;: Responding to a Small Network Survey to Assist Teachers with Subject-Specific Literacy Demands in the Middle Years of Schooling
Author: Morgan, Anne-Marie
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Self Efficacy,Science Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Elementary School Teachers,Intermediate Grades,Well Being,Teaching Conditions,Teacher Competencies,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Teaching Skills,Foreign Countries,Teacher Researchers,Cooperation

Middle years' teachers in primary schools are increasingly required to teach curriculum-specific subjects at a depth requiring considerable content and pedagogical knowledge, as well as a detailed understanding of the particular literacy requirements specific to each subject. Science teaching, in the latter years of primary schooling, is particularly demanding for non-specialist teachers. Many teachers struggle with feelings of (in)adequacy and (in)competence to be &quot;science literate&quot; and &quot;good&quot; science teachers, providing sufficient and valuable science learning opportunities for their learners. This paper describes one primary school's attention to teachers' feelings of wellbeing and competence in relation to themselves as science teachers. A survey instrument, informed by the particular school context and the literature on teachers' beliefs of self-efficacy, was used in the school and its local hub group. The study has implications for pre- and in-service teachers faced with similar teaching requirements, literacy demands and challenges to their professional and personal wellbeing. The teacher's findings highlight the value of collaborative research partnerships to enhance both student learning outcomes and teacher wellbeing. (Contains 7 figures.)
Basic Literacy or New Literacies? Examining the Contradictions of Australia's Education Revolution
Author: Buchanan, Rachel
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Basic Skills,Conflict,Numeracy,Foreign Countries,Educational Change,Educational Policy,Literacy Education,Reading Skills,Mathematics Skills,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Standardized Tests,Educational History,Politics of Education,Teacher Education

In 2007 the Labor Government came to power with the promise to bring to Australia an &quot;Education Revolution&quot;. More than four years later we are still waiting for the full impact of this series of policy initiatives. Among the various facets of the Education Revolution was the assurance that the Education Revolution would focus on the most fundamental skills--literacy and numeracy, and that it would offer world-class teaching and learning through a &quot;Digital Education Revolution&quot;. The digital education revolution aims to foster the development of 21st century learning skills in students, skills which seem at odds with the government's concomitant emphasis on basic literacy and numeracy and standardised testing. We seek to explore the paradoxical goals of the Education Revolution and to examine the impact of these tensions upon educators.
Urban Pre-Service Teachers' Conceptions of Teaching in Rural Communities
Author: Adie, Lenore
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Rural Areas,Rural Education,Practicums,Preservice Teachers,Teacher Effectiveness,Qualitative Research,School Community Relationship,Teaching Experience,Student Attitudes,Work Attitudes,Life Satisfaction

Encouraging quality teaching staff to apply for and accept teaching placements in rural and remote locations is an ongoing concern internationally. The value of different support mechanisms provided for pre-service teachers attending a rural and remote practicum are investigated through theories of place and the school-community nexus. Qualitative data regarding the experiences of the pre-service teachers were collected through interviews and case study notes. This project adds to our understanding of practicum in rural areas by employing a conceptual understanding of place to propose how the experiences of a four-week practicum may contribute to urban pre-service teachers' conceptions of work and life in a rural community.
The Evolution of Big Data and Learning Analytics in American Higher Education
Author: Picciano, Anthony G.
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Decision Making,Data,Data Analysis,Computer Software,Computer Managed Instruction,Educational Technology,Influence of Technology,Computer Assisted Instruction,Databases,Information Security,Decision Support Systems,Educational Policy,Policy Analysis,Definitions,College Administration,Privacy,Electronic Learning,College Instruction

Data-driven decision making, popularized in the 1980s and 1990s, is evolving into a vastly more sophisticated concept known as big data that relies on software approaches generally referred to as analytics. Big data and analytics for instructional applications are in their infancy and will take a few years to mature, although their presence is already being felt and should not be ignored. While big data and analytics are not panaceas for addressing all of the issues and decisions faced by higher education administrators, they can become part of the solutions integrated into administrative and instructional functions. The purpose of this article is to examine the evolving world of big data and analytics in American higher education. Specifically, it will look at the nature of these concepts, provide basic definitions, consider possible applications, and last but not least, identify concerns about their implementation and growth. (Contains 1 table and 2 figures.)
Analytics that Inform the University: Using Data You Already Have
Author: Dziuban, Charles
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Change,Strategic Planning,Research Utilization,Databases,Internet,Distance Education,College Administration,Program Implementation,Program Descriptions,Outcomes of Education,Outcome Measures,Decision Making,Data,Data Analysis,Computer Software,Computer Managed Instruction,Educational Technology,Web Based Instruction,Open Source Technology,Computer System Design,Decision Support Systems,Educational Policy,Program Effectiveness,College Instruction

The authors describe the University of Central Florida's top-down/bottom-up action analytics approach to using data to inform decision-making at the University of Central Florida. The top-down approach utilizes information about programs, modalities, and college implementation of Web initiatives. The bottom-up approach continuously monitors outcomes attributable to distributed learning, including student ratings and student success. Combined, this top-down/bottom up approach becomes a powerful means for using large extant university datasets to provide significant insights that can be instrumental in strategic planning. (Contains 7 tables and 8 figures.)
Learning Analytics: A Case Study of the Process of Design of Visualizations
Author: Olmos, Martin
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Computer Graphics,Internet,Open Source Technology,Computer System Design,Case Studies,Medical Education,Clinical Teaching (Health Professions),Design,Rural Areas,Rural Education,Communities of Practice,Student Evaluation,Medical Students,Learner Engagement,Curriculum Design,Learning Experience,Decision Making,Data,Data Analysis,Computer Software,Computer Managed Instruction,Educational Technology,Computer Assisted Instruction,College Instruction,Graphs,Tables (Data),Charts

The ability to visualize student engagement and experience data provides valuable opportunities for learning support and curriculum design. With the rise of the use of learning analytics to provide &quot;actionable intelligence&quot; on students' learning, the challenge is to create visualizations of the data, which are clear and useful to the intended audience. This process of finding the best way to visually represent data is often iterative, with many different designs being trialled before the final design is settled upon. This paper presents a case study of the process of refining a visualization of students' learning experience data. In this case the aim was to create a visual representation of the continuity of care students were exposed to during a longitudinal placement as part of a medical degree. The process of visualization refinement is outlined as well as the lessons learned along the way. (Contains 5 figures.)
Predictive Modeling to Forecast Student Outcomes and Drive Effective Interventions in Online Community College Courses
Author: Smith, Vernon C.
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Academic Achievement,At Risk Students,Prediction,Community Colleges,Online Courses,Two Year College Students,Predictive Measurement,Predictor Variables,Models,Case Studies,School Holding Power,College Freshmen,Accounting,Decision Making,Data,Data Analysis,Computer Software,Computer Managed Instruction,Educational Technology,Computer System Design,Databases,Decision Support Systems,Distance Education,Web Based Instruction,College Instruction,Integrated Learning Systems

Community colleges continue to experience growth in online courses. This growth reflects the need to increase the numbers of students who complete certificates or degrees. Retaining online students, not to mention assuring their success, is a challenge that must be addressed through practical institutional responses. By leveraging existing student information, higher education institutions can build statistical models, or learning analytics, to forecast student outcomes. This is a case study from a community college utilizing learning analytics and the development of predictive models to identify at-risk students based on dozens of key variables. (Contains 4 tables and 3 figures.)
The PAR Framework Proof of Concept: Initial Findings from a Multi-Institutional Analysis of Federated Postsecondary Data
Author: Ice, Phil
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: School Holding Power,Institutions,Electronic Learning,Distance Education,Online Courses,Enrollment,Statistical Analysis,Outcomes of Education,Accountability,Educational Technology,Higher Education,Regression (Statistics),Hypothesis Testing,Sample Size,Evaluation

Despite high enrollment numbers, postsecondary completion rates have generally remained unchanged for the past 30 years and half of these students do not attain a degree within six years of initial enrollment. Although online learning has provided students with a convenient alternative to face-to-face instruction, there remain significant questions regarding online learning program quality, particularly when considering patterns of student retention and progression. By aggregating student and course data into one dataset, six postsecondary institutions worked together toward determining factors that contribute to retention, progression, and completion of online learners with specific purposes: (1) to reach consensus on a common set of variables among the six institutions that inform student retention, progression and completion; (2) to explore advantages and/or disadvantages of particular statistical and methodological approaches to assessing factors related to retention, progression and completion. In the relatively short timeframe of the study, 33 convenience variables informing retention, progression, and completion were identified and defined by the six participating institutions. This initiative, named the Predictive Analytics Reporting Framework (PAR) and the initial statistical analyses utilized are described in this paper. (Contains 3 figures and 1 table.)
Learning Analytics Considered Harmful
Author: Dringus, Laurie P.
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Evidence,Electronic Learning,Distance Education,Online Courses,Evaluation,Intervention,Decision Making,Integrated Learning Systems,Feedback (Response),Educational Technology

This essay is written to present a prospective stance on how learning analytics, as a core evaluative approach, must help instructors uncover the important trends and evidence of quality learner data in the online course. A critique is presented of strategic and tactical issues of learning analytics. The approach to the critique is taken through the lens of questioning the current status of applying learning analytics to online courses. The goal of the discussion is twofold: (1) to inform online learning practitioners (e.g., instructors and administrators) of the potential of learning analytics in online courses and (2) to broaden discussion in the research community about the advancement of learning analytics in online learning. In recognizing the full potential of formalizing big data in online courses, the community must address this issue also in the context of the potentially "harmful" application of learning analytics. (Contains 1 figure.)
Blended Course Design: A Synthesis of Best Practices
Author: McGee, Patricia
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Higher Education,Blended Learning,Distance Education,Best Practices,Technology Uses in Education,Meta Analysis,Qualitative Research,Synthesis,Literature Reviews,Educational Technology,Definitions,Electronic Learning,Web Based Instruction,Educational Policy,Program Effectiveness,College Instruction,Instructional Design

Blended or hybrid course offerings in higher education are commonplace and much has been written about how to design a blended course effectively. This study examines publically available guides, documents, and books that espouse best or effective practices in blended course design to determine commonalities among such practices. A qualitative meta-analysis reveals common principles regarding the design process, pedagogical strategies, classroom and online technology utilization, assessment strategies, and course implementation and student readiness. Findings reveal areas of disconnect and conflict, as well as implications for the likelihood of successful utilization when best/effective practices are followed. (Contains 1 table.)
Multidimensional Assessment of Pilot Blended Learning Programs: Maximizing Program Effectiveness Based on Student and Faculty Feedback
Author: Calderon, Orly
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Online Courses,Web Based Instruction,Blended Learning,Program Effectiveness,Student Attitudes,College Students,College Faculty,Teacher Attitudes,College Instruction,Outcome Measures,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis,Student Surveys,Teacher Surveys,Focus Groups,Pilot Projects,Course Evaluation,Feedback (Response),Best Practices,Private Colleges

Faculty and student feedback on blended courses is instrumental to improving blended courses and programs. The purpose of this article is to describe the process and results of blended learning outcome assessment at a large, multi-campus, private university. The outcome measures used in this assessment were developed in the context of current literature about best practice in assessment of blended learning and were designed to gather feedback from faculty and students on multiple aspects of the blended courses. The results suggest that, overall, students and faculty were satisfied with the blended courses. The sufficiency of the university's resources for blended learning emerged as the strongest predictor of student satisfaction. Faculty rated their blended courses high in terms of course organization, but low in terms of the availability of resources and information about online learning and the quality of pedagogy in blended instruction. This university has found great value in the use of student and faculty feedback toward the improvement of blended courses and programs. An emphasis has been placed on providing additional resources, making the available resources more accessible and offering faculty development and training in online and blended pedagogy. (Contains 6 tables.)
Using a Generalized Checklist to Improve Student Assignment Submission Times in an Online Course
Author: Cavanaugh, Terence
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Distance Education,Online Courses,Asynchronous Communication,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Comparative Analysis,Assignments,Electronic Learning,Check Lists,Public Colleges,Time Management,Self Management,Graduate Students,Education Courses,Web Based Instruction,College Instruction,Statistical Analysis,Student Improvement,Classroom Techniques

Online instruction, like all traditional instructional environments, requires learner self-control and proactive learning to construct knowledge and acquire skills. However, online students often fail to complete some components of their online work each week, damaging their overall academic progress in the course. To assist students in completion of all assigned elements and submission of work on time, three professors at a public southeastern university implemented the use of a generalized assignments checklist to enhance student self-monitoring in their online courses. Data on the submission of assignments was analyzed for relative timeliness. The results of this study showed a statistically significant difference between students receiving a generalized online learning checklist to the control group who did not receive a checklist. The experimental group showed a marked improvement of assignment submission timeliness, improving course satisfaction for students and instructors. (Contains 3 tables.)
No Significant Difference in Service Learning Online
Author: McGorry, Sue Y.
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Online Courses,Service Learning,Social Responsibility,Delivery Systems,Intermode Differences,Models,Conventional Instruction,Skill Development,Instructional Effectiveness,Experiential Learning,Self Efficacy,Case Studies,Likert Scales,Student Attitudes,Asynchronous Communication

Institutions of higher education are realizing the importance of service learning initiatives in developing awareness of students' civic responsibilities, leadership and management skills, and social responsibility. These skills and responsibilities are the foundation of program outcomes in accredited higher education business programs at undergraduate and graduate levels. In an attempt to meet the needs of the student market, these institutions of higher education are delivering more courses online. This study addresses a comparison of traditional and online delivery of service learning experiences. Results demonstrate no significant difference in outcomes between the online and face-to-face models. (Contains 1 table.)
A Comparison of Non-Mandatory Online Dialogic Behavior in Two Higher Education Blended Environments
Author: Gorsky, Paul
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Open Universities,Student Participation,Content Analysis,Distance Education,Online Courses,Blended Learning,Higher Education,Comparative Analysis,Educational Environment,Electronic Learning,Outcomes of Education,Intellectual Disciplines,Inquiry,Educational Technology

This study compares dialogic behavior in asynchronous course forums from blended learning environments with "non"-mandatory student participation at a campus-based college and at a distance education, Open University. The goal is to document similarities and differences in students' and instructors' dialogic behavior that occur in two similar instructional resources used in two dissimilar learning environments. Quantitative content analysis, derived from the "Community of Inquiry" model, was performed on a year-long course forum from the college. These data were compared with composite data obtained previously from 50 Open University course forums. Findings showed that the dialogic behavior in the college forum differed greatly from the dialogic behavior exhibited in distance education forums. Specifically, the frequencies of "social presence", "teaching presence" and "cognitive presence" in the forums differed significantly. However, high frequencies of social presence coupled with low frequencies of cognitive presence at both institutions raise doubts regarding the popular assumption that deep and meaningful learning occurs in asynchronous course forums. (Contains 9 tables and 1 figure.)
Interaction in an Asynchronous Online Course: A Synthesis of Quantitative Predictors
Author: Zingaro, Daniel
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Interaction,Online Courses,Predictor Variables,Statistical Analysis,Aptitude Treatment Interaction,Asynchronous Communication,Performance Factors,Sustainability,Content Analysis,Educational Practices,Synthesis

The effectiveness and potential of asynchronous online courses hinge on sustained, purposeful interaction. And while many factors affecting interaction have been uncovered by prior literature, there are few accounts of the relative importance of these factors when studied in the same online course. In this paper, we develop a literature-informed model of six predictors on the likelihood that a note receives a reply. We corroborate earlier findings (such as the impact of the date that the note was posted), but also obtain one contradictory result (that reading ease does not appear to be a significant predictor). We offer hypotheses for our findings, suggest future directions for this type of research, and offer educational implications. (Contains 2 tables.)
Interpersonal Interaction in Online Learning: Experienced Online Instructors' Perceptions of Influencing Factors
Author: York, Cindy S.
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Attitudes,Electronic Learning,Online Courses,Feedback (Response),Novices,Interpersonal Relationship,Educational Technology,Interviews,Phenomenology,Distance Education,Semi Structured Interviews,Experienced Teachers,Teacher Attitudes

A multitude of factors influence interpersonal interaction between students and instructors in an online course. This study examines perceptions of six experienced online instructors to determine factors they believe increase interaction among their students and between the students and instructor of online courses. The end result is an inventory of strategies that can be used by novice and experienced online instructors alike to impact interpersonal interaction in online courses. Factors include group work, course environment, model use, community, discussion question type and assessment, feedback type and medium, immediacy behaviors, discourse guidelines, and instructor participation. (Contains 4 tables.)