ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
International Workforce Initiatives: Definitions, Design Options, and Project Profiles. Working Paper Series. No. 1
Author: Wright, J.W., Jr.
Date: 2010-09-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Educational Development,Program Design,Definitions,Job Training,International Relations,Profiles,Technical Assistance,Economics,Labor Force,Labor Force Development,Employment Opportunities,Careers,Employment,Education Work Relationship,Health Services,Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS),Leadership,Energy,Environmental Influences,Foreign Countries,Rural Areas

This publication is intended for three primary audiences: international development  professionals who want to define &quot;workforce&quot; for program design purposes, those who seek information about field activities, and those who want to reflect on the implementation of successful, high impact programs--whether they were broad-based or sector-specific projects or local activities. The goal is to provide readers with options and strategies for connecting diverse sets of development objectives through international workforce initiatives. Following a brief introduction, the first chapter briefly reviews international workforce initiatives' historical roles in United States economic and political diplomacy and how they became part of the practice of development assistance. The chapters that follow provide definitions and design principles. The annexes contain more than 80 profiles of projects the Academy for Educational Development (AED) is currently or has recently implemented that have had workforce components. Most of the examples used come from projects implemented in partnership with the U.S. government, projects funded by the United Nations (UN), the Group of Eight (G-8), private foundations, and national governments are also included. Annexes contain:  (1) AED Workforce Initiatives--Project Profiles ; (2) AED-Managed Global Technical Assistance Programs; and (3) Profiles of AED Projects with Workforce Components by Category.(Contains 23 endnotes.) [Primary support for this publication has come from AED's Leadership and Institutional Development Group and the AED Center for Enterprise and Capacity Development (CECD).]
A Better Measure of Skills Gaps: Utilizing ACT Skill Profile and Assessment Data for Strategic Skill Research
Author: ACT, Inc.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Information Analyses
Subjects: Economic Climate,Context Effect,Marketing,Global Approach,Technological Advancement,Job Skills,Profiles,Classification,Data Analysis,Statistical Analysis,Manufacturing Industry,Health Services,Construction Industry,Power Technology,Occupations,Industry,Research Methodology,On the Job Training

It is no secret that global markets and innovations in technology are driving rapid change in the U.S. economy. While much has been said over the years about the employment shift from goods-producing to service-providing industries, new research suggests that the shift is not due to sectoral employment change but rather a shift in the mix of jobs within industries and the types of skills that those jobs require. The phrase &quot;skills gap&quot; is used in the public arena very loosely with varying degrees of understanding of what a &quot;gap&quot; in &quot;skills&quot; actually means. Definitions of the phrase vary widely, with different schools of thought approaching the issue in drastically different ways. Formal methodology for quantifying a &quot;skills gap&quot; is either completely lacking, as in much of the policy-oriented research, or is too convoluted, as is often the case in the economic literature. A balanced approach for &quot;skills gap&quot; analysis is needed that incorporates rigorous quantitative methods with an eye for practical application. This paper seeks to enter the conversation by proposing a simple definition for the phrase &quot;skills gap&quot; by the most simple of interpretations: that a skills gap measures the difference between the skills needed for a job versus those skills possessed by a prospective worker. This paper posits that &quot;skills gap&quot; analysis should target identifiable skills. Initiatives based on findings of indirect measures of &quot;skills&quot; and &quot;skills gaps&quot; may invest precious time and resources in &quot;skills&quot; that are not in fact needed by employers. A balanced approach is needed for &quot;skills gap&quot; research that incorporates rigorous quantitative methods, uses a direct measure of skills, and has practical application for workforce policy. The paper proposes a skills gap methodology that uses more detailed and specific measures of skills for supply/demand analysis. A review of the literature on the methodology and use of the phrase &quot;skills gap&quot; follows, with highlights from the fields of workforce policy, industrial/organizational psychology, and economic-based research. Lastly, a gap analysis using the proposed methodology is conducted for four major industry sectors
Using Data to Inform Instructional Practice
Author: Barnett, Angela L.
Date: 2011-04-30
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Educational Strategies,Student Evaluation,Academic Achievement,Grade 4,Individualized Instruction,Pretests Posttests,Instructional Improvement,Instructional Innovation,Evaluation Utilization,Formative Evaluation,Achievement Gains,Teaching Methods,Inclusion,Grouping (Instructional Purposes),Achievement Gap,Accountability,Theory Practice Relationship,Data

The purpose of this study was to inform instruction by using data as a progress-monitoring tool to drive instruction and ultimately student achievement. During the course of this study, data was gathered from a pre-test in a mathematics measurement unit to determine differentiated instruction and grouping. Formative short frequent assessments were applied to monitor the learning progress of all students in a fourth grade inclusion classroom. Data was used to change instructional strategies, grouping, and teaching methods to ensure learning success on the unit post-test, and ultimately on end of the year testing. Results demonstrated that by incorporating methods of research-based instruction and implementing short frequent assessments, teachers could begin to bridge the gap in achievement for all learners. Monitoring student progress throughout the school year can inform teachers of the individual learning needs of their students. Teachers can use the data to measure the learning strengths and weaknesses, so that student performance can be analyzed and evaluated. The gap in achievement can be overcome using the implementation of targeted strategies and research-based interventions for all students. Appended to this document are: (1) Appendix A: Student Achievement on Summative and Formative Assessments; and (2) Appendix B: Vassarstats Calculations. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)
An Investigation of Teacher Training and Perceptions Regarding Reading Assessment with Elementary Students
Author: Barrand, Jessica L.
Date: 2011-08-21
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Suburban Schools,Reading Instruction,Teacher Attitudes,Elementary School Teachers,Reading Tests,Student Evaluation,Educational Assessment,Teacher Surveys,Internet,Teacher Education Curriculum,Teacher Education Programs,Questionnaires

This purpose of this investigation was to examine the level of training and perceptions regarding reading assessment by elementary teachers in a suburban school district. The teachers were given an on-line survey to complete in the spring of 2011. While the response rate to the survey was fairly low, the teachers who did respond indicated that  did have some training in reading assessment and that they use the reading assessments in a meaningful way to help guide instruction. The results indicated that  almost 70% of the participating teachers did have a specific class on assessment in their teacher preparation program (undergraduate or graduate). Eighty-one percent of the participating teachers felt that current reading assessments provided them with the information needed to adequately plan for the reading instruction of their students. (Contains 9 tables.)
Sims to Teen Second Life: Transition of the SimSavvy Girls to Tech Savvy Isle
Author: Johnson, Barbara Z.
Date: 2008-09-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Females,Computer Uses in Education,Computers,Information Technology,Programming,Educational Technology,Student Motivation,Career Development,Computer Literacy,Skill Development,Computer Software,Video Games,Adolescents,After School Programs

In its second year, the Tech Savvy Girls Project adopted "Teen Second Life" as a platform for interest-driven learning and designed projects and objects around themes important to them and their futures as technology-using, creative people. By using the building tools in an open-ended virtual world, they were able to pursue interests common to teen-aged girls: art, houses, fashion, social connections, and future careers as entrepreneurs while developing a wide range of IT-related skills. These skills extend far beyond the limits of traditional school's definitions of computer technology as either mastery of particular software packages or computer programming. The participants, through informal "tinkering" activities have developed life-long meta-skills and identities as technology users, which will allow them to continue learning new techniques as computers, computer programs, and information technology continue to change well into the future. (Contains 3 figures.)
Reading Rate and Comprehension
Author: Jodai, Hojat
Date: 2011-08-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Reading Comprehension,Reading Fluency,Reading Rate,Language Proficiency,Correlation,Oral Reading,English (Second Language),Literature Reviews

Reading fluency is one of the most important signs  of language proficiency both for native and foreign language speakers (Grabe, 2010; Macalister, 2010; Winston, 2010; Hasbrouck, 2008; Rasinski, 2004; Oakley, 2003; Waldman, 1985; Cited in: Sayenko, 2010, Introduction Para 1). This paper is in the area of reading fluency and tries to investigate the relationship between reading rate or speed and reading comprehension. Many studies have shown that increasing the reading rate will improve reading comprehension (e.g.; Quinn and Nation, 1974; Bell, 2001; Chung and Nation, 2006; Iwahori 2008; Macalister, 2010; Chang C-S & Coolege H-W, 2010; Sayenko T, 2011). This paper reviews some findings of the previous researches. Some of the materials as well as measurement scales which have been used in these studies are discussed. Furthermore some issues that are closely related in the study of the link between reading rate and comprehension are briefly explained. The findings suggest that there is a relationship between reading speed and comprehension, and this relation tends to be positive rather than negative. Finally some limitations and suggestions for future studies have been suggested.
Mail and Web Surveys: A Comparison of Demographic Characteristics and Response Quality When Respondents Self-Select the Survey Administration Mode
Author: Mackety, Dawn M.
Date: 2007-08-00
Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Subjects: Mail Surveys,School Guidance,School Counselors,Response Rates (Questionnaires),Questionnaires,Internet,Computer Assisted Testing,Comparative Analysis,Counselor Characteristics,Measures (Individuals)

The purpose of this study was to use a nonexperimental, quantitative design to compare mail and web surveys with survey mode self-selection at two data collection waves. Research questions examined differences and predictabilities among demographics (gender, ethnicity, age, and professional employment) and response quality (pronoun use, item nonresponse, response extremity, yea-saying, item completion errors, response length, response equivalency, anecdotal comments, and multiple response use) by survey mode and response wave. Analyses were conducted using chi-squares, ANOVAs, t-tests, and binary logistic regressions. A questionnaire in mail and web formats containing 48 forced-choice and open-ended items was administered to a nonrandom sample of Illinois public school guidance counselors (n = 2,880). After four reminders, the adjusted response rate was 30.56% (n = 880); 64.32% (n = 566) by mail and 35.68% (n = 314) by web; 77.73% (n = 684) during wave one and 22.27% (n = 196) during wave two. Respondents were 75% female, 86% White with a mean age of 48 years and a mean of 19 years of professional employment. Results revealed that mail respondents were older and had more years of professional employment than web respondents, item nonresponse was greater in web than in mail surveys, and response length was greater in web than in mail surveys at wave one. Age, response length, gender, and yea-saying had significant partial effects in predicting the mail survey mode. Regarding response wave, demographics and response quality variables were neither different nor predictive. Findings suggest that researchers need to consider the potential effects of demographic distributions in the target population when designing mail and web surveys. Mail and web surveys must also be carefully constructed to overcome potential response quality differences while maximizing the advantages of each. The low overall adjusted response rate and nonrandomized design limit generalizability to the larger group of all school counselors in the population. This study, however, provides practical and timely insight regarding the use of mail and web surveys with mode self-selection among those who responded, and offers much potential for future research. Appended are: (1) Human Subjects Institutional Review Board Approval Letter; (2) Packet for School Principals; (3) Packet for Survey Participants; (4) Mail Survey; (5) Web Survey. (Contains 29 tables, 15 figures and 1 footnote.) [Additional support for this research was provided by Western Michigan University's Career Connections Research Center (CCRC).]
History of Kansas Education
Author: Martinez, Sherrill
Date: 2001-09-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Governance,Public Education,Teacher Certification,Teacher Education,Accreditation (Institutions),Educational Improvement,Special Education,Educational Finance,School Organization,Postsecondary Education,Educational History,Educational Development,Institutional Mission,Student Characteristics,Teacher Characteristics,State Boards of Education,Educational Technology,Educational Assessment,Educational Indicators

The history of Kansas public education closely parallels that of the nation. It is difficult to understand why events happened in the state environment without some understanding of what was occurring in the nation during the same time period. Therefore, in this report, four questions important to education are asked. Historical answers to the questions are then given: first for the nation and then for the state. At the end of the report, a chronology of important events with a rationale for each event is given. This section is divided into Kansas School Governance, Kansas Teacher Preparation/Certification, Kansas School Accreditation/Improvement, Kansas Special Education, Kansas School Unification/Finance Issues, Kansas Postsecondary Education, National Scene, and Technology. The report ends with an appendix of historical data tables. In the year 2000, one in four Americans was involved in formal education as a student, teacher, administrator, or support staff member. Hundreds of billions of dollars were spent for education. This report attempts to explain why education has been and is valued so highly in Kansas and the nation. (Contains 38 tables.)
The Effects of the &quot;Great Leaps Reading Program&quot; on Students with Severe Reading Disabilities as a Secondary Reading Intervention in an Impoverished Setting
Author: Haselden, Polly G.
Date: 2011-08-20
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Reading Difficulties,Intervention,Reading,Reading Programs,Reading Instruction,Secondary School Students,Reading Fluency,Decoding (Reading),Reading Comprehension,Learning Disabilities,Reading Skills,Poverty,Pretests Posttests,Phonemes,Children,Adolescents

The Great Leaps Reading Program (GLRP) was developed to supplement the reading instruction of students with reading difficulties (Campbell, 1995). Repeated readings, within each component of the GLRP intervention, were used until a predetermined criterion for mastery was achieved. Three secondary students educated in a rural, Title One school setting participated in the multiple-baseline study over the period of five weeks. Data were collected daily for each participant on each component. Results indicated that a functional relationship between baseline and intervention was demonstrated for all of the components of the GLRP. Procedural Reliability Checklist is appended. (Contains 1 figure.)
The Importance of Educational Leadership and Policy: In Support of Effective Instruction
Author: Wilson, Donna
Date: 2011-09-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Educational Strategies,Teacher Effectiveness,Reading Skills,Reading Instruction,Instructional Leadership,Teaching Methods,Academic Achievement,Reading Achievement,Educational Attainment,Parent Background,Family Income

This article discusses the impact of effective instruction on the reading ability of children in the early grades. The paper synthesizes major research on reading instruction and the readiness gap that exists between children entering school for the first time. The research points to the critical importance of equipping teachers with effective instructional strategies to teach students to read in the early grades so they are not left behind when the emphasis in education shifts from "learning to read" to "reading to learn." Policymakers must focus on developing and retaining teachers, and educational leaders at all levels must support effective teaching practice and create structures so that reading is possible for all students for whom they are accountable. In addition, teachers need to allocate adequate time for students to read text at their independent level and provide support as they continue to develop fluency and automaticity and improve their reading skills.
Focus and Motivation:  Two Contributing Factors That Lead a Student to Academic Success
Author: McQuown, Adrienne
Date: 2011-04-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Cognitive Style,Academic Achievement,Student Surveys,Student Motivation,Grade 5,Teaching Methods,Elementary School Students,Observation,Check Lists,Action Research,Learning Strategies,Academically Gifted

This study was conducted to determine whether or not a student's focus and motivation  during a lesson is a contributor in their educational success rate. Six fifth grade students in an enrichment room from Cambria Elementary School, in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, participated in the study that spanned through April to June of 2011. These students were the focus of the study because they lacked the focus and motivation that was needed when in the enrichment room. These students were seen three times per week for one hour each time. Teacher observations, student surveys, and the assessments that were given both before and after the implementation of the study were used to determine if these students had a higher success rate when they were more attentive and motivated to complete the lessons. Appended are: (1) Research Questions and Data Sources; (2) Lesson Focus Journal Entry; (3) Teacher Focus Checklist; (4) Learning Style Rating Sheet; and (5) Atlantis: The Lost City.
School Improvement Model to Foster Student Learning
Author: Rulloda, Rudolfo Barcena
Date: 2011-09-04
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Multiple Intelligences,Educational Change,Teaching Methods,Educational Improvement,Conventional Instruction,Cognitive Style,Individual Differences,Integrated Curriculum,Student Evaluation,Reflection,Academic Achievement,Disabilities,Thinking Skills,Journal Writing,Portfolios (Background Materials)

Many classroom teachers are still using the traditional teaching methods. The traditional teaching methods are one-way learning process, where teachers would introduce subject contents such as language arts, English, mathematics, science, and reading separately. However, the school improvement model takes into account that all students have different learning styles. The school improvement model consisted of four major components: multiple intelligences, curriculum integration, assessments, and reflections. These components would foster student learning in order to improve students' academic performance.
The Impact on Student Achievement within Small Groups Based on Learning Styles, Interest, and Student Readiness
Author: Moyer, Katie
Date: 2011-03-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Research Projects,Action Research,Academic Achievement,Grade 3,Cognitive Style,Student Interests,Readiness,Elementary School Students,Grouping (Instructional Purposes),Science Instruction,Ability Grouping,Individualized Instruction,Science Achievement

This action research project will be focused on a group of third grade students. Each student will be placed into three different groups based on similar learning styles, similar interests, and student readiness. These small groups will be occurring within my third grade classroom during our bi-weekly science lesson. The purpose of this action research project is to determine where student achievement is greatest within these small groups. This study will continue throughout the rest of the 2010-2011 school year, then to be followed by an interpretation and analysis of the data collected. Appended to this document is a Data Collection Matrix.
Testimony of Quinton Roman Nose, Treasurer National Indian Education Association before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Oversight Hearing on Does Indian School Safety Get a Passing Grade?
Author: Roman Nose, Quinton
Date: 2010-05-13
Type: Opinion Papers
Subjects: School Safety,American Indian Education,Public Schools,Educational Environment,Federal Aid,Educational Finance,Financial Support,Educational Facilities Improvement,Violence,School Personnel,Training,Labor Turnover,Public Agencies,Agency Cooperation,School Policy

In this testimony, Quinton Roman Nose talks on behalf of the National Indian Education  Association about the shocking disparity in the safety of Bureau of Indian Education  (BIE) schools. NIEA advocates for the unique educational and culturally related academic needs of Native students, working to ensure that the federal government upholds its responsibility for the education of Native students through the provision of direct educational services and facilities that are safe and structurally sound. However, appalling disparities exist in the levels of safety, both structural and personal, in Bureau of Indian Education funded schools, creating educational environments that are a threat to the emotional and physical well-being of Native students. It is unjust to expect students to succeed academically when the government fails to provide them with a proper environment to achieve success. The amount of funding over the past few years has failed to fund tribes at the rate of inflation, once again exacerbating the hardships faced by Native American students. As such, Quinton Roman Nose asks the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs to provide the resources, oversight, and assistance the Indian Country needs to create the kind of educational environment that Native children deserve. (Contains 6 footnotes.)