ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Understanding Evidence-Based Improvement in Higher Education: The Case of Student Engagement
Author: McCormick, Alexander C.
Date: 2011-04-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Learner Engagement,Evidence,Educational Improvement,School Effectiveness,Intention,Change Strategies,Educational Change,Educational Trends,Trend Analysis,Program Descriptions,Inferences,Benchmarking,Educational Practices,Best Practices,Knowledge Management,College Outcomes Assessment,Educational Indicators,Improvement Programs

This paper uses time series data from a widely used assessment to identify colleges and universities that demonstrate positive trends on a range of educational effectiveness measures, describe observed patterns of improvement, and examine informants' accounts of factors that contributed to the improvements. This study informs broad questions about organizational learning and improvement in education by identifying the circumstances that enable intentional change to take root and thrive. Findings indicate positive trends at a wide range of institutions, with more positive trends among first-year students. Analysis of informants' comments suggests three key themes of successful change efforts. A Description of Measures is appended. (Contains 3 tables and 2 footnotes.)
Using Ready-Made Materials for Teaching Idioms
Author: Tran, Thu H.
Date: 2011-10-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Language Patterns,Figurative Language,Language Proficiency,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Second Language Learning,Second Language Programs,Instructional Materials,Teaching Methods,Story Telling,Comprehension

Because idioms are omnipresent in the authentic language students are exposed to, to successfully comprehend and produce natural language, learners of a second or foreign language need to possess a good knowledge of idioms and competence in idiom use. This paper examines the approaches to teaching and learning idioms. A discussion of the importance of idioms in language proficiency will first be carried out. Several different definitions of idioms will be presented, and typical characteristics of idioms will be provided. How idioms differ from idiomaticity and proverbs will too be pointed out. In addition, various types of idioms will be identified. Approaches to idiom instruction and strategies for idiom acquisition will be surveyed, respectively. Finally, materials for idioms learning and teaching will be reviewed in order to assist classroom teachers to effectively design idiom lessons as well as to teach idioms in a fun and interesting manner. This paper is of special relevance to foreign and second language classroom practitioners who are interested in developing learners' idiomatic language comprehension and production.
Teaching in the &quot;Performative&quot; State: Implications for Teacher Appraisal in Australia
Author: Naidu, Sham
Date: 2011-11-22
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Teacher Evaluation,Organizational Change,Educational Policy,Public Officials,Barriers,Professional Autonomy,Role of Education,Accountability,Teacher Competencies,Adjustment (to Environment),Commercialization

Teacher appraisal is viewed by bureaucrats as a means of effecting organisational change in schools. It is for this reason that educational policy leaders have turned to technical competency as a way of accounting for teachers' performance in classrooms. In other words, teachers' work is now subject to minute scrutiny by the observation of technical skills where teachers are subject to purely technical modes of accountability. As a result, teachers are denied the autonomy that recognises their specialist knowledge and moral responsibility. In order to overcome this dilemma, teachers have developed &quot;new technologies of the self&quot; to survive in the &quot;performative&quot; state.
The Issue of Teacher Accountability: A South Australian Perspective
Author: Naidu, Sham
Date: 2011-11-23
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Accountability,Public Education,Criticism,Educational Policy,Policy Analysis,Politics of Education,Administrative Principles,Educational Principles,Ideology,Organizational Objectives,Teacher Responsibility,Benchmarking,Performance Factors

In this article, the author critiques the notion of accountability in teachers' work. It serves to place in context the rationale and introduction of accountability mechanisms, such as the performance management policy, as implemented in South Australian public education. Further, it serves to illustrate what MacPherson (1998, p. 4) describes as &quot;the politically critical position... wherein the blame for outcomes is devolved more to educators while governments are increasingly insulated from criticism.&quot; Against the backdrop of Renee Kuchapski's (1998) article entitled, &quot;Conceptualizing accountability: A liberal framework,&quot; the discussion sheds light on the following: the definition of the term &quot;accountability&quot;; the political and ideological principles that underlie the concept of accountability; and the purpose of accountability mechanisms in teachers' work in South Australia.
&quot;I Love to Teach but No Thank You!&quot; Factors Responsible for the Demise of Teaching as a Profession: An Australian Perspective
Author: Naidu, Sham
Date: 2011-11-23
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Human Capital,Foreign Countries,Educational Policy,Educational Change,Teaching (Occupation),Performance Factors,Economic Factors,Political Influences,Politics of Education,Barriers,Performance Technology,Participative Decision Making,School Based Management,Skill Development,Teaching Skills,Professional Autonomy,Governance,Occupational Surveys

Currently, the decline in teacher numbers has become an important topic for discussion in the field of teachers' work in Australia. The purpose of this article is to discuss current initiatives being implemented by both the Australian federal government and the South Australian state government to retain and attract prospective teachers and some of the postmodern trends influencing the nature of teachers' work. It begins by setting out the key initiatives being introduced. This is followed by a discussion of economic and political changes reshaping teaching as a profession. It is argued that teachers are increasingly subject to reformist policies as governments seek to enhance human capital in the face of globalized competition. Thus, it comes as no surprise that teaching as a profession is at an all-time low in Australia.
Teachers' Continuing Professional Development Programmes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Author: Alghamdi, Ahmed Hassan
Date: 2011-11-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Professional Development,Professional Continuing Education,Educational Objectives,Educational Policy,Change Agents,Educational Change,Educational Development,Educational History,Program Design,Program Evaluation,Program Implementation,Performance Factors,Educational Methods

This article aims to review the historical development of continuing professional development programmes (CPDPs) for teachers, as well as the policies and objectives of such programmes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) from the inception of these programmes until now. Styles of CPDPs that the Education Training Centres (ETCs) offer are discussed.  Moreover, we explore CPDPs in the KSA in terms of their design, implementation, and evaluation. Finally, the article presents various suggestions and recommendations that might contribute to solving and controlling the problems and obstacles that confront such programmes.
The &quot;Bastardisation&quot; of Teachers' Work
Author: Naidu, Sham
Date: 2011-11-22
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Teaching Conditions,Educational Policy,Commercialization,Role of Education,Accountability,Teacher Role,Reputation,Teacher Competencies,Educational Attitudes,Social Change

Currently, there is a radical shift in the manner in which teachers are expected to perform their duties because of economic, social and political forces that are impacting on education. It is not uncommon to find teachers working within rigidly defined policies; being subject to accountability mechanisms; involved with processes associated with the corporate and industrial sector; and teaching a curriculum relevant only to the workplace. These have resulted in the &quot;bastardisation&quot; of teaching.
A Reflective Journey! Why the Study of Teacher Evaluation?
Author: Naidu, Sham
Date: 2011-11-24
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: School Restructuring,Teacher Evaluation,Educational Change,Foreign Countries,Reflection,Educational Research,Educational Researchers,Professional Development,Organizational Development,Knowledge Management,Evaluation Research,Educational Development

This article presents the author's reflection on his experiences of teacher evaluation implemented in South Africa and his interest in researching this contentious topic in South Australia. He is of the opinion that his research will serve as a source of knowledge generation to teachers with respect to: a) &quot;greater personal, professional and organisational learning&quot; b) &quot;authentic staff development, professional renewal, and school reform&quot; and c) &quot;a new way of thinking about knowledge creation, dissemination, and utilization in schools&quot; (Anderson, 2002, p. 22).
Beyond the School: Exploring a Systemic Approach to School Turnaround. Policy and Practice Brief
Author: Knudson, Joel
Date: 2011-02-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Elementary Secondary Education,Educational Change,Politics of Education,Accountability,Educational Practices,Educational Policy,Change Strategies,Educational Strategies,Educational Improvement,Improvement Programs,Underachievement,Educational Assessment,Educational Indicators,Profiles,Organizational Culture,School Culture,Leadership Effectiveness,Community Involvement

Educators have long grappled with the challenge presented by chronically underperforming schools. Environments that consistently fail to prepare students for higher levels of education threaten opportunities for high school graduation, postsecondary education, and career success. The U.S. Department of Education reinforced the urgency of reversing sustained poor performance in early 2009 when it identified intensive supports and effective interventions in lowest-achieving schools as one of its four pillars of education reform. However, federal and state policies have often situated the cause--and thus the remedies--for persistent low performance at the school level. This brief uses the experience of eight California school districts--all members of the California Collaborative on District Reform--to suggest a more systemic approach to school turnaround. The authors explore the district perspective on school turnaround by describing several broad themes that emerged across the eight districts in the California Collaborative on District Reform. They also profile three of these districts to illustrate specific strategies that can create a coherent district-wide approach to turnaround. Building on these district perspectives, they explore considerations for turnaround efforts in the upcoming reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). (Contains 10 endnotes.) [Additional funding for this paper was provided by the Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation.]
Raising Expectations for Mathematics Instruction in California: Algebra and beyond. Policy and Practice Brief
Author: Bitter, Catherine
Date: 2010-03-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Mathematics Curriculum,Student Placement,Graduation Requirements,Algebra,Mathematics Instruction,Educational Policy,Expectation,Achievement Gap,Academic Support Services,Instructional Improvement,Educational Finance,School Districts,Politics of Education,College Preparation,Academic Standards,Data Analysis,Guidelines,Teacher Education,Teacher Effectiveness,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning

As expectations for students to meet high academic standards have risen over the past two decades, so have the expectations for students to complete, and excel in, more rigorous mathematics courses. Once a course reserved only for the college-bound, algebra is now a graduation requirement for all California students as well as an early &quot;gateway&quot; into a college preparatory program. In recent years, pressure has mounted for students to clear this gateway earlier and earlier; while most districts now require algebra in ninth grade, some do so in grade 8 and some offer it as early as seventh grade for some of their students. Meanwhile, data in most districts reveal large discrepancies among student groups in both their enrollment in and their successful completion of Algebra I. Ensuring success in algebra for all students involves several key areas of attention and action for districts. These include the creation of a strong K-12 mathematics curriculum, appropriate placement of students in mathematics courses, enhancement of current instructional capacity in mathematics, and provision of additional supports for struggling students. In today's fiscal climate, finding funds to address these issues is perhaps the greatest challenge of all, but the recent infusion of one-time funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) may provide new opportunities. This brief draws on dialogue and investigation among the district practitioners, researchers, and policymakers participating in the California Collaborative on District Reform. This brief discusses ways in which districts can approach these issues given the current fiscal and political context in California. It also provides recommendations for strategies the state can use to support districts in these efforts. (Contains 2 footnotes.)
Policy Briefs on California Education Finance and Governance
Author: California Collaborative on District Reform
Date: 2007-10-19
Type: Collected Works - General
Subjects: Teacher Effectiveness,Finance Reform,Governance,Educational Change,Accountability,Educational Finance,Educational Policy,Data,Personnel Policy,Systems Approach,Alignment (Education),State Regulation,Educational Administration,Administrative Policy,School Districts,Educational Indicators,Federal Programs,Databases,Postsecondary Education,Data Analysis,Evidence,Teacher Certification,Teacher Education

In October 2007, EdSource hosted a policy convening in response to findings from the &quot;Getting Down to Facts&quot; research project. These four briefs were prepared by a working group of district Collaborative members to inform the dialogue of this &quot;Getting from Facts to Policy&quot; conference. They advocate for new state policy in the areas of (1) governance and finance, (2) standards based funding and accountability systems, (3) accessible and informative data, and (4) teacher preparation and development. These four briefs are: (1) The Importance of Systems Alignment: Developing a Coherent Approach to Educational Governance and Finance Reform in California (Richard Alonzo, Art Delgado, Geno Flores, Juan Garza, Mike Hanson, Maggie Mejia, Ruthie Quinto, Laura Schwalm, Brad Stam, Chris Steinhauser, Dale Vigil, Judy White, Jennifer O'Day, and Jim Brown.); (2) From Compliance to Getting the Job Done: Excessive Regulations vs. Accountability for Results (Richard Alonzo, Art Delgado, Geno Flores, Juan Garza, Mike Hanson, Maggie Mejia, Ruthie Quinto, Laura Schwalm, Brad Stam, Chris Steinhauser, Dale Vigil, Judy White, Jennifer O'Day, and Jim Brown); (3) Addressing California's Data Needs: Implementing Comprehensive, Longitudinal Systems at the Local and State Levels (Richard Alonzo, Art Delgado, Geno Flores, Juan Garza, Mike Hanson, Maggie Mejia, Ruthie Quinto, Laura Schwalm, Brad Stam, Chris Steinhauser, Dale Vigil, Judy White, Jennifer O'Day, and Jim Brown); and (4) Improving Teacher Quality: Redesigning Personnel Policies to Support Student Achievement (Richard Alonzo, Art Delgado, Geno Flores, Juan Garza, Mike Hanson, Maggie Mejia, Ruthie Quinto, Laura Schwalm, Brad Stam, Chris Steinhauser, Dale Vigil, Judy White, Jennifer O'Day, and Jim Brown). Individual briefs contain footnotes and references.
Special Series on the Fresno Long Beach Learning Partnership: Perspectives of District Leaders
Author: Duffy, Helen
Date: 2009-12-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Academic Achievement,Superintendents,Leadership,Partnerships in Education,Educational Improvement,Disadvantaged Environment,School Districts,Interviews,Educational Cooperation,Intervention,Program Effectiveness,Program Descriptions,Program Development,Sustainability,Administrator Attitudes,Educational Objectives,Organizational Objectives

The Fresno-Long Beach Learning Partnership is a collaboration that aims to improve student outcomes, accelerate achievement for all students, and close achievement gaps by capitalizing on shared systemic capacity-building across two high-need districts. The Partnership is a joint effort of the third- and fourth-largest districts in California to pursue common goals, measure student outcomes, share professional knowledge, learn from each other, and support each other's progress. This brief, the first in a series to document this unique cross-district collaboration, describes the initiation and early stages of the Partnership, and suggests that the processes for organizational learning the Partnership has created may lead to sustained district improvement over time. The Partnership might thus serve as a model for leaders in other districts who are similarly committed to achieving common goals and who are willing to identify and share the leadership practices most likely to foster student achievement. This brief is based upon interviews the authors conducted with leaders from both districts who have been directly involved in the Partnership. The authors interviewed district superintendents, leaders tasked with management of the Partnership itself, and district administrators leading each of the three strands of work. (Contains 2 tables and 5 endnotes.) [For the second part of this series, &quot;Building Capacity for Accelerated Reform: The Fresno-Long Beach Learning Partnership as a Leadership Strategy. Special Series on the Fresno-Long Beach Learning Partnership,&quot; see ED526857.]
Building Capacity for Accelerated Reform: The Fresno-Long Beach Learning Partnership as a Leadership Strategy. Special Series on the Fresno-Long Beach Learning Partnership
Author: Duffy, Helen
Date: 2010-11-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Educational Change,Partnerships in Education,School Districts,Superintendents,Leadership,Educational Administration,Professional Development,Educational Finance,Data

In order to move their organizations forward, many leaders are aware that they must have clearly defined goals, use data to measure progress toward those goals, adopt appropriate change management strategies, strengthen governance teams, and support the development of other leaders in the system (see, for example, Waters &amp; Marzano, 2006). The superintendents of Fresno Unified School District and Long Beach Unified School District have established a unique partnership that they can leverage to deepen their own leadership practice and develop the leadership of others throughout their systems. This second in a series of briefs on the Fresno-Long Beach Learning Partnership focuses on the leadership practices of Fresno Unified Superintendent Michael Hanson and Long Beach Unified Superintendent Christopher Steinhauser and the ways in which their partnership strengthens the strategies they employ. The authors describe the vision and commitments that serve as the initial foundation for their work together and suggest various ways that the Partnership enhances leadership practices in both districts. To do this, they draw upon analysis of data collected over nearly two years, including interviews with key district leaders and stakeholders outside of the districts, attendance at district meetings, and analyses of key district documents. This brief highlights the ways the Partnership strengthens the following leadership practices: (1) Modeling a commitment to student learning; (2) Creating high-quality professional learning opportunities for district leadership team members; (3) Leveraging resources strategically; and (4) Using data to support continuous improvement. In this paper, the authors explain how their cross-district activities strengthen those leadership practices and discuss the ongoing challenges that the Partnership faces, including the ways in which district-level activities will translate into classroom practices. (Contains 4 figures.) [For the first part of this series, &quot;Special Series on the Fresno Long Beach Learning Partnership: Perspectives of District Leaders,&quot; see ED526856.]
Essential Components of RTI--A Closer Look at Response to Intervention
Author: National Center on Response to Intervention
Date: 2010-04-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Evidence,Response to Intervention,Program Implementation,Academic Achievement,Student Evaluation,Learning Disabilities,Prevention,Behavior Problems,Disability Identification,Curriculum Design,Screening Tests,Formative Evaluation

To assist states and local districts with planning for RTI, the National Center on Response to Intervention (NCRTI) has developed this information brief, &quot;Essential Components of RTI--A Closer Look at Response to Intervention.&quot; This brief provides a definition of RTI, reviews essential RTI components, and responds to frequently asked questions. The information presented is intended to provide educators with guidance for RTI implementation that reflects research and evidence-based practices, and supports the implementation of a comprehensive RTI framework. [For related report, &quot;What Is RTI?,&quot; see ED526859.]
What Is RTI?
Author: National Center on Response to Intervention
Date: 2010-06-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Evidence,Behavior Problems,Learning Disabilities,Academic Achievement,At Risk Students,Response to Intervention,Student Evaluation,Prevention,Formative Evaluation,Disability Identification,Screening Tests,Decision Making,Data,Program Implementation

Response To Intervention (RTI) integrates assessment and intervention within a school-wide, multi-level prevention system to maximize student achievement and reduce behavior problems. With RTI, schools identify students at risk for poor learning outcomes, monitor student progress, provide evidence-based interventions, and adjust the intensity and nature of those interventions based on a student's responsiveness. RTI may be used as part of the determination process for identifying students with specific learning disabilities or other disabilities. This paper presents an overview of RTI. [For related report, &quot;Essential Components of RTI--A Closer Look at Response to Intervention,&quot; see ED526858.]