ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Self-Beliefs Mediate Math Performance between Primary and Lower Secondary School: A Large-Scale Longitudinal Cohort Study
Author: Reed, Helen C.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Self Concept,Self Efficacy,Questionnaires,Mathematics Tests,Foreign Countries,Mathematics Achievement,Longitudinal Studies,Elementary Education,Grade 6,Secondary Education,Grade 9,Correlation,Track System (Education),Mathematics Skills,Student Attitudes,Statistical Analysis

It is often argued that enhancement of self-beliefs should be one of the key goals of education. However, very little is known about the relation between self-beliefs and performance when students move from primary to secondary school in highly differentiated educational systems with early tracking. This large-scale longitudinal cohort study examines the extent to which academic self-efficacy (i.e., how confident students are that they will be able to master their schoolwork) and math self-concept (i.e., students' perceived math competence) mediate the relation between math performance at the end of primary school (Grade 6) and the end of lower secondary school (Grade 9) in such a system. The study involved 843 typically-developing students in the Netherlands. Self-efficacy and math self-concept were measured with self-report questionnaires. Math performance was measured with nationally validated tests. The relation between math performance in Grade 6 and in Grade 9 was uniquely mediated by both self-efficacy in Grade 6 and math self-concept in Grade 9, but in opposing directions. Math self-concept was the most influential mediator, explaining nearly a quarter of the total effect of Grade 6 math performance on Grade 9 math performance. Unexpectedly, high self-efficacy in Grade 6 was negatively related to Grade 9 math performance, particularly for girls and high-track students. These findings suggest that self-efficacy may not necessarily be a protective factor in highly differentiated early tracking educational systems and may need to be actively managed when students move to secondary school.
Socially Shared Metacognitive Regulation in Asynchronous CSCL in Science: Functions, Evolution and Participation
Author: Iiskala, Tuike
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Metacognition,Cooperative Learning,Learning Processes,Case Studies,Computer Assisted Instruction,Social Networks,Network Analysis,Cognitive Processes,Asynchronous Communication,Science Instruction,Females,Foreign Countries,Elementary School Students,Teaching Methods

The significance of socially shared metacognitive regulation (SSMR) in collaborative learning is gaining momentum. To date, however, there is still a paucity of research of how SSMR is manifested in asynchronous computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL), and hardly any systematic investigation of SSMR's functions and evolution across different phases of complex collaborative learning activities. Furthermore, how individual students influence group regulatory effort is not well known and even less how they participate in SSMR over the entire collaborative learning process. The multi-method, in-depth case study presented in this article addresses these gaps by scrutinizing the participation of a small group of students in SSMR in asynchronous computer supported collaborative inquiry learning. The networked discussion, consisting of 640 notes, was used as baseline data. The sets of notes, which formed nine SSMR threads, were identified and their functions analyzed. Several analytical methods, including social network analysis, were used to investigate various aspects of individual participation. The findings show that some SSMR threads lasted over an extended period, and they sometimes intertwined or overlapped. Furthermore, SSMR threads were found to play different functions, mainly inhibiting the perceived inappropriate direction of the ongoing cognitive process. Finally, SSMR was found in all phases of the process -- but with some variation. The use of different analytical methods was critical as this provided a variety of complementary insights into students' participation in SSMR. The value of using multiple, rigorous analytical methods to understand SSMR's significance over the entire course of an asynchronous CSCL activity is discussed.
Cognitively Central Actors and Their Personal Networks in an Energy Efficiency Training Program
Author: Hytönen, Kaisa
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Semi Structured Interviews,Social Networks,Energy Conservation,Efficiency,Program Evaluation,Questionnaires,Cognitive Processes,Profiles,Organizations (Groups),Network Analysis,Information Seeking,Professional Personnel,Apprenticeships,Foreign Countries,Qualitative Research,Content Analysis

This article aims to examine cognitively central actors and their personal networks in the emerging field of energy efficiency. Cognitively central actors are frequently sought for professional advice by other actors and, therefore, they are positioned in the middle of a social network. They often are important knowledge resources, especially in emerging fields where standard knowledge exchange mechanisms are weak. By adopting a personal network approach, we identified the cognitively central participants of a one-year energy efficiency training program, studied the structure and heterogeneity of their personal networks and determined which features were relevant to achieving these cognitively central positions. At the end of the training, the social networking questionnaire was sent to 74 course participants. Semi-structured interviews were conducted for the six most-central actors, whose personal networks were larger than those of the other participants. These six actors differed from each other in many respects; there did not appear to be a single explanation for why these persons achieved their central positions. In conclusion, we propose that becoming a cognitively central actor is an intricate process. It cannot be explained only, for instance, by actors' educational backgrounds, the level of their previous energy efficiency knowledge or their field of know-how. To understand this phenomenon, we must examine which organizations such people come from and how their expert profiles, which are related to their fields and competences, fit into the wider context of energy efficiency. More research is needed to determine whether the results are only typical of emerging fields.
Effects of Hierarchical Levels on Social Network Structures within Communities of Learning
Author: Rehm, Martin
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Social Networks,Communities of Practice,Online Courses,Network Analysis,Teaching Methods,Instructional Innovation,International Organizations,Futures (of Society),Learning Experience,Employment Level,Employee Attitudes

Facilitating an interpersonal knowledge transfer among employees constitutes a key building block in setting up organizational training initiatives. With practitioners and researchers looking for innovative training methods, online Communities of Learning (CoL) have been promoted as a promising methodology to foster this kind of transfer. However, past research has only provided limited data from actual organizations and largely neglected characteristics that constitute a major obstacle to such collaborative processes, namely participants' hierarchical levels. The current study addresses these shortcomings by providing empirical evidence from 25 CoL of an online training program, provided for 249 staff members of a global organization. Using social network analysis, we are able to show significant differences in participants' network behaviour and position based on their hierarchical rank. This translates into higher in- and out-degree network ties, as well as centrality scores among participants from higher up the hierarchical ladder. Finally, based on a longitudinal analysis of all indicated network measures, our results indicate that the main trend develops predominately during the first half of the training program. By incorporating these insights into the implementation of future CoL, it is not only possible to anticipate participants' behaviour. Our findings also allow to draw conclusions about how collaborative activities within CoL should be designed and facilitated, in order to provide participants with a valuable learning experience.
Networked Professional Learning: Relating the Formal and the Informal
Author: Vaessen, Matthieu
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Social Networks,Expertise,Informal Education,Professional Autonomy,Interdisciplinary Approach,Faculty Development,Work Environment,Learning Processes,Teaching Skills,Instructional Leadership,Peer Relationship,Literature Reviews

The increasing complexity of the workplace environment requires teachers and professionals in general to tap into their social networks, inside and outside circles of direct colleagues and collaborators, for finding appropriate knowledge and expertise. This collective process of sharing and constructing knowledge can be considered &quot;networked learning&quot;. The processes involved are informal and largely invisible to the official framework of the organisation. Consequently, a large amount of learning that takes place is unrecognised and the dynamics, impacts and benefits of such networked learning are often overlooked by organisations. This situation brings about tensions between formal and informal processes, which in turn raise issues concerning adequate professional development, professional autonomy and management. It also leads to questions about facilitating the creation and exchange of knowledge and expertise within the existing social networks. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, we explore a number of educational and organisational studies. Our key questions are: what are the formal and informal mechanisms underlying networked professional learning, related to professional development, autonomy and management? How can networked learning be positioned in the most optimal way? Currently, a clear academic understanding of how to optimally align and make use of networked learning is lacking. The goal of our exploratory review is to describe mechanisms that influence the alignment of informal and formal learning of teachers within their workplace: schools. We work towards a theoretical and practical integration of the different chosen fields by means of a framework of mechanisms related to networked learning.
Building an Effective and Affordable K-12 Geoscience Outreach Program from the Ground Up: A Simple Model for Universities
Author: Dahl, Robyn Mieko
Date: 2016-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Earth Science,Science Course Improvement Projects,Cost Effectiveness,STEM Education,College School Cooperation,Mentors,Community Education,Demography,Institutional Characteristics,Behavioral Objectives,Program Design,Program Implementation,Case Studies,Middle School Students,Program Descriptions

University earth science departments seeking to establish meaningful geoscience outreach programs often pursue large-scale, grant-funded programs. Although this type of outreach is highly successful, it is also extremely costly, and grant funding can be difficult to secure. Here, we present the Geoscience Education Outreach Program (GEOP), a small-scale, very affordable model tested for 5 y in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of California, Riverside (UCR). GEOP provides in-class presentations for local K-8 classrooms; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics mentoring for middle and high school students; day-long events on the UCR campus for middle and high school students; and it allows UCR Department of Earth Sciences to participate in a wide range of community events. The program is managed by UCR graduate students, affects ~4,000 people (K-12 students, UCR students, the Riverside community at large) and operates for less than $3,000 U.S. annually. The GEOP model prioritizes simplicity, flexibility, and affordability to best meet the educational needs of Riverside County, California.
Teaching Anthropogenic Climate Change through Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Helping Students Think Critically about Science and Ethics in Dialogue
Author: Todd, Claire
Date: 2016-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Climate,Teaching Methods,Interdisciplinary Approach,Critical Thinking,Ethics,Teacher Collaboration,Teacher Student Relationship,Pretests Posttests,Scientific Literacy,Science and Society,Student Surveys,Misconceptions,Qualitative Research,Environmental Education

Anthropogenic climate change is a complicated issue involving scientific data and analyses as well as political, economic, and ethical issues. In order to capture this complexity, we developed an interdisciplinary student and faculty collaboration by (1) offering introductory lectures on scientific and ethical methods to two classes, (2) assigning the same technical and opinion texts about anthropogenic climate change to both classes, and (3) coordinating multidiscipline discussions with students about their common reading assignments. Student learning was documented using identical pre- and postcollaboration surveys. We hypothesized that students would be better prepared to understand and engage in public debate about anthropogenic climate change if they were first taught to distinguish clearly between scientific and ethical claims. Our results from pre- and postcollaboration surveys support our hypothesis; as students showed an increased understanding of the distinction between science and ethics, they were better able to critically analyze popular articles and to develop their own questions about anthropogenic climate change. The results also suggest that our students were more prepared to think critically about scientific inquiry than about ethical inquiry regarding anthropogenic climate change.
The Development of Intercultural Citizenship in the Elementary School Spanish Classroom
Author: Byram, Michael
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Spanish,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,FLES,Elementary School Students,Intercultural Communication,Cultural Awareness,Critical Thinking,Program Descriptions,Ethics,Teaching Methods

Teachers and students can have ambitious educational goals, including critical reflection on the world around them, both that which is &quot;home&quot; and that which is &quot;foreign.&quot; The environmental questions which face us all can be part of the elementary school curriculum, and the Foreign Language Elementary School (FLES) contribution has a particular role because it turns the learner's gaze outwards, linguistically and culturally. The creation and sharing of knowledge can occur in the target language and in combined lessons with other classroom teachers also in English. Students in FLES classrooms can develop intercultural competence, critical thinking, and tolerance for ambiguity. This article describes a project that aimed to see how the theory of ethical imperative might be realized in elementary school with younger students, and to consider what changes might be required in the theory when working in this environment. The researchers aimed to find a way of teaching that ensures that students develop aspects of Intercultural Competence/Intercultural Citizenship (ICC) and become aware of important societal issues while at the same time developing their linguistic skills, all within the overall curriculum required for the grade level.
Conceptual Mobility and Entrenchment in Introductory Geoscience Courses: New Questions Regarding Physics' and Chemistry's Role in Learning Earth Science Concepts
Author: Anderson, Steven W.
Date: 2016-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Earth Science,Concept Teaching,Scientific Concepts,Pretests Posttests,Misconceptions,Physics,Test Construction,Test Items,Introductory Courses,Role Perception,Fused Curriculum,Educational Change,Test Validity,Test Reliability,Achievement Gains

Nationwide pre- and posttesting of introductory courses with the Geoscience Concept Inventory (GCI) shows little gain for many of its questions. Analysis of more than 3,500 tests shows that 22 of the 73 GCI questions had gains of &lt;0.03, and nearly half of these focused on basic physics and chemistry. We also discovered through an assessment of nearly 500 matched pre and posttests that students were less likely to change answers on basic physics and chemistry questions than they were on those for the geosciences, with many of the low-gain geoscience questions showing switch rates that were similar to that expected for guessing. These results also pertain to the high-scoring pretest students, suggesting that little geoscience conceptual entrenchment occurs for many students enrolled in entry-level courses. Switching rates for physics and chemistry questions were well below the rates associated with geosciences questions, suggesting greater entrenchment. We suggest that students may have difficulty settling on a correct geoscience conception because of the shaky, more entrenched supporting science underpinnings upon which Earth Science ideas are built. These results prompt the following questions: (1) When do our geology majors learn fundamental science concepts if little learning occurs in the introductory courses? (2) What role does the introductory course play in this eventual learning? (3) What strategies can be employed in introductory courses to enhance learning for those students who will only take one college-level geosciences course? We suggest that longitudinal studies of geosciences majors are needed for periods longer than a semester and that more attention be paid to when conceptual change occurs for our majors.
The Oil Game: Generating Enthusiasm for Geosciences in Urban Youth in Newark, NJ
Author: Gates, Alexander E.
Date: 2016-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Urban Youth,Earth Science,Science Interests,Grade 9,Educational Games,Fuels,Energy Education,Youth Opportunities,Problem Based Learning,Scientific Principles,Minority Group Students,Class Activities,Student Surveys,Student Attitudes

A hands-on game based upon principles of oil accumulation and drilling was highly effective at generating enthusiasm toward the geosciences in urban youth from underrepresented minority groups in Newark, NJ. Participating 9th-grade high school students showed little interest in the geosciences prior to participating in the oil game, even if they had completed an Earth Science course. Benchmark surveys showed that only 9.7% of these students would consider a career in the geosciences prior to playing the game. The oil game teaches principles of fluid density, porosity and permeability, stratigraphy, seismic reflection profiling, and petroleum traps and shows practical applications in a problem-based learning format. The exercise is run like a game show, where groups of students earn money by best applying geologic principles. The streetwise participants in the study were 64% African American and 29% Hispanic/Latino American, faced inner-city dangers daily, and were generally difficult to motivate about the geosciences, according to teachers. It was evident from student excitement and engagement during the activity that they enjoyed the oil game immensely. Postgame surveys confirmed its positive impact, as 65.9% of the participating students indicated an interest in pursuing a career in the geosciences.
Meaningful and Purposeful Practice
Author: Clementi, Donna
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Language Proficiency,Visual Aids,Learning Motivation,Curriculum Design,Thematic Approach,Units of Study,Teaching Methods

This article describes a graphic, designed by Clementi and Terrill, the authors of &quot;Keys to Planning for Learning&quot; (2013), visually representing the components that contribute to meaningful and purposeful practice in learning a world language, practice that leads to greater proficiency. The entire graphic is centered around the letter &quot;I&quot; representing three key elements that motivate learners to practice using the language in order to build proficiency. All the components in the graphic are intended to engage learners in meaningful and purposeful interactions designed to improve their ability to communicate in the target language and deepen their understanding of themselves and the world. Viewed in its entirety, the graphic represents motivation, content and context that guide the design of curriculum, instruction and assessment of world language programs. Thematic units that are based on the elements in the graphic facilitate learners' growth in proficiency. The more meaningful and purposeful practice that learners complete, the stronger their performances will be on individual thematic units as they work toward increasing their proficiency in the language they are learning.
Pathways to the Geosciences Summer High School Program: A Ten-Year Evaluation
Author: Carrick, Tina L.
Date: 2016-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Earth Science,High School Students,Summer Programs,STEM Education,Change Strategies,Student Recruitment,Program Evaluation,Program Descriptions,Learning Activities,Formative Evaluation,Student Surveys,Pretests Posttests,Demography,Prior Learning,Academic Aspiration,Attitude Change,Academic Persistence,Outreach Programs

The high demand for scientists and engineers in the workforce means that there is a continuing need for more strategies to increase student completion in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. The challenge lies in finding and enacting effective strategies to increase students' completion of STEM degrees and in recruiting students to these disciplines, especially those from underrepresented minority groups. This article presents results from 10 years of data from collected during a 2-week summer program for high school students in geosciences targeted at participants of Hispanic American origin in El Paso, Texas. The short-term goal of the program was to introduce the students to the geosciences and to inform them of the possibilities of the geosciences as a college major and career choice. The long-term goal was to form a pipeline from the summer program to undergraduate and graduate programs at the University of Texas at El Paso. Short-term indicators show statistically significant positive changes in student attitudes towards science and the geosciences over the course of the program. Long-term indicators show that 55% of the participants entered STEM majors in college and that 20% either are or were geoscience majors in college. By comparison, nationally only 9% of geoscience bachelor's degree graduates are from underrepresented minorities. These results suggest that summer high school programs in the geosciences can have a significant impact on increasing the number of underrepresented minority students who choose the geosciences for a career.