ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
No Longer a &quot;Little Added Frill&quot;: The Transformative Potential of Environmental Education for Educational Change
Author: Hart, Paul
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Teacher Education Programs,Social Justice,Environmental Education,Educational Change,Ethics,Role of Education,Educational Philosophy,Educational Principles,Curriculum Design,Science Education,Sustainable Development,Curriculum Development,Critical Theory,Barriers,Theory Practice Relationship,Educational Theories,Educational Environment,Politics of Education,School Community Relationship

When environmental education manifests itself in schools, it is usually a simple matter of the insertion of an environment-related activity into the science, or perhaps social studies, curriculum. However, if one finds a teacher who has &quot;the ethic,&quot; the entire school might be &quot;green.&quot; The fact that this ethic is spreading through a relatively well organized and rapidly expanding field of theory and practice, grounded in research and philosophical thought, that challenges many of the taken-for-granted assumptions of the dominant educational discourses, may be a cause for concern in some quarters. Those teachers who are happy in standard practice may not want to hear about &quot;the alternative,&quot; the critiques of business-as-usual in the field of education, whether from environmental education or other related areas such as social justice and cultural studies. The purpose of this article is to explore some issues of worth concerning what takes place in schools and in teacher education from this vantage point of environmental education, as a field that challenges the taken-for-granted assumptions of the dominant discourses of schooling. Here, the author argues that the socially critical charter of the field of environmental education has meaningful things to say to mainstream education that, if taken seriously, can provide the means to transform one's thinking about some things that really matter in schooling. (Contains 1 note.)
Developing Computerized Versions of Paper-and-Pencil Tests: Mode Effects for Passage-Based Tests
Author: Pommerich, Mary
Date: 2004-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Test Content,Computer Assisted Testing,Multiple Choice Tests,Computer Interfaces,Program Effectiveness,Test Construction,Comparative Analysis,Item Analysis,Test Items

As testing moves from paper-and-pencil administration toward computerized administration, how to present tests on a computer screen becomes an important concern. Of particular concern are tests that contain necessary information that cannot be displayed on screen all at once for an item. Ideally, the method of presentation should not interfere with examinee performance on the test. Examinees should perform similarly on an item regardless of the mode of administration. This paper discusses the development of a computer interface for passage-based, multiple-choice tests. Findings are presented from two studies that compared performance across computer and paper administrations of several fixed-form tests. The effect of computer interface changes made between the two studies is discussed. The results of both studies showed some performance differences across modes. Evaluations of individual items suggested a variety of factors that could have contributed to mode effects. Although the observed mode effects were in general small, overall the findings suggest that it would be beneficial to develop an understanding of factors that can influence examinee behavior and to design a computer interface accordingly, to ensure that examinees are responding to test content rather than features inherent in presenting the test on computer. (Contains 8 tables, 8 figures, and 4 endnotes.)
Telementoring as a Collaborative Agent for Change
Author: Friedman, Audrey A.
Date: 2004-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Urban Schools,Mentors,Writing Skills,Writing Instruction,Teaching Skills,Writing Improvement,College School Cooperation,Technology Uses in Education,Teleconferencing,High School Students,Special Needs Students,Interviews,Feedback (Response),Teacher Student Relationship

This case study explored the effectiveness of telementoring as a vehicle for preservice teachers to hone skills in the teaching of writing, to establish a mentoring relationship with urban high school students, and to help struggling writers improve writing skills necessary for student achievement. Inherent in this research was the goal to develop a collaborative model between the university and the high school for using technology to improve "at-risk" urban students' skills in writing. Additionally, the research allowed preservice teachers to learn about themselves as evolving teachers as they broached some of the difficulties of teaching writing to academically diverse students and learned about the scarcity of resources and difficult realities that exist for urban students. (Contains 2 tables, 1 figure, and 2 endnotes.)
Organizational Considerations for Advanced Manufacturing Technology
Author: DeRuntz, Bruce D.
Date: 2003-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Global Approach,Organizational Culture,Marketing,Manufacturing,Corporations,Technology,Industry,Productivity

In the last several decades, the United States has experienced a decline in productivity, while the world has seen a maturation of the global marketplace. Nations have moved manufacturing strategy and process technology issues to the top of management priority lists. The issues surrounding manufacturing technologies and their implementations have assumed greater importance in overall manufacturing strategy. Practitioners and researchers have developed strong interest in how advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) can be used as a competitive tool in the global economy to combat the phenomena of fragmented mass markets, shorter product life cycle, and increased demand for customization. The combination of increased production flexibility and higher efficiency contradicts traditional manufacturing strategy. In traditional thinking, efficiency is possible only in the production of large volumes of standard products, while customization is associated with higher costs. Clearly, the impact of AMT is redefining the way multinational corporations are managing manufacturing operations; however, effective implementation of AMT has not occurred as rapidly as the development of technology due to organizational considerations. The key to successful AMT planning and implementation appears to be the choice of an appropriate manufacturing system and the attainment of an organizational infrastructure that will offer maximum support to the chosen system. To achieve the desired benefits from AMTs, marketing and manufacturing must work together to ensure that the marketing strategy reflects the manufacturing capabilities of the new technology. Closer working relationships among all other functions of the organization are also required if the firm is to achieve its innovation objectives. (Contains 1 table.)
21st Century Manufacturing Supervisors and Their Historical Roots
Author: Hotek, Douglas R.
Date: 2003-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Employees,Job Performance,Manufacturing,Supervisors,Leadership,Automation,Administrator Responsibility,Administrator Role,Technological Advancement,Influence of Technology

This article provides a perspective of the past and present roles of the manufacturing supervisor with a specific focus on new skills requirements. Within the structure of manufacturing management, the supervisor plays a key role in implementing today's complex automated manufacturing technologies. The supervisor is at the bottom of the management pyramid--the one with upfront responsibility for machines, equipment, and tools, and for those who use them to produce a product. Because many manufacturing firms use automation technologies in their competitive strategy, production employees must know the meaning of the latest acronyms and they must be technologically literate in them. These complex requirements in employee-technology relationships have made an impact on the role of supervision. It has changed from that of directing and controlling employees to that of effectively leading the improvement of employee performance. This new leadership role for supervisors can best be understood in a historical context of evolving manufacturing technologies, workforce characteristics, and skills used. This is presented in two parts. The first is a historical perspective of the supervisor's job and how it has changed during the 20th century. The second section describes the supervisor's job in the context of modern-day complexities. (Contains 1 note.)
The Three Gorges Dam of China: Technology to Bridge Two Centuries
Author: Wahby, Wafeek S.
Date: 2003-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Visual Aids,Foreign Countries,Study Abroad,Energy,Energy Conservation,Conservation (Environment),Water,Construction (Process),Construction Materials

Some of the most sophisticated 20th-century technologies have been applied to build the largest hydroelectric dam in the world, the Three Gorges Dam Project (TGDP) of China. The author administered a study abroad course in China from May 27 to June 10, 2000, to study the massive project as it approached the halfway mark of its second and most critical stage, namely Phase II. This article sheds some light on this sizable project and summarizes information and observations gathered first-hand during this study abroad course on the construction of the Three Gorges Dam. In addition to a description of the main components of the project and the phases of its construction, a historical background and a timeline of the events that culminated in China's decision to build this dam are presented in this article. The article also points out the reasons why this sizable project is being built and discusses the results that are anticipated after its completion. Some of the challenges faced in the construction of the project are analyzed, together with how they were dealt with.
Scientific &amp; Technological Literacy through TechnoScience2000+: An Approach for In-Service and Preservice Training
Author: Parkinson, Eric
Date: 2003-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Curriculum Development,Informal Education,Learning Experience,Technological Literacy,Scientific Literacy,Instructional Materials,Context Effect,Inservice Education,Professional Development,Preservice Teacher Education,Educational Resources,Educational Environment,Virtual Classrooms,Foreign Countries,Elementary Education,Elementary School Science

Scientific and technological literacy (STL) is becoming one of the central planks for development through education on a global scale. Within this global thrust, design and technology in particular are gaining strength as curriculum components either as an individual subject or as contributors to a more broad and inclusive approach to learning. Today, the challenge of providing materials to consolidate a foundation of knowledge in both science and technology reaches into all countries. Development and education are inextricably linked. The key elements that still affect teachers in elementary school situations concern the development of a working subject knowledge and the confidence to deliver this to children. This challenge is being met by a generation of new materials, some with an Internet capability for distributed learning such as TechnoScience2000+. TechnoScience2000+ is a set of electronic materials developed to provide flexible learning options for a variety of potential users. The materials are not presented as a formal course, although with adaptation, they could fulfill this function. The essence of the TechnoScience2000+ materials is that they are a flexible resource in themselves. They are capable of being read online as an informal learning experience, capable of being downloaded as a file for reading as hard copy, and, crucially, capable of being altered, adjusted, and fundamentally rewritten to suit the needs of potential users. TechnoScience2000+ can thus be utilized as a mechanism for professional development with advisors, teachers, and curriculum developers rewriting materials to suit their particular in-service or preservice delivery circumstances. This notion of localized development of resources is central to the &quot;operationalization&quot; of STL. With the use of TechnoScience2000+, such a mechanism enables participants in STL curriculum development initiatives to invent their own &quot;curriculum wheels,&quot; but from a basis of existing, appropriately shaped pieces rather than piles of raw materials.
Achieving Education for Technological Capability in Scotland
Author: McLaren, Susan V.
Date: 2003-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Active Learning,Foreign Countries,Case Studies,Technology Education,Case Method (Teaching Technique),Design,Science and Society,Environmental Influences,Parent Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Technological Literacy

Design and technology (D&amp;T) education involves learners coping creatively with complexity. It must take account of a wide range of often apparently conflicting demands and constraints: aesthetic, economic, political, ethical, social, and environmental as well as ergonomic, technical, and scientific. Case study tasks describe a relatively recent approach to school-based D&amp;T learning. Through case studies, students can begin to consider, critically, the impact and influence of D&amp;T on society and the environment. As well as being of interest in their own right, the products explored in the CD-ROM &quot;Exploring Everyday Products: Case Studies of Design &amp; Technology in Action&quot; provide examples of how to use a case study approach. In order to gauge the response of pupils and teachers to the content, format, and potential of &quot;Exploring Everyday Products,&quot; school-based trials were conducted in addition to opinions being canvassed from practicing secondary and primary teachers. From the information collected from the early evaluations, the field trials, and canvassed opinions, the content of &quot;Exploring Everyday Products&quot; is deemed accessible and of value in the classroom. Overall, the selected CD-ROM case studies and associated tasks underpin an active learning approach to developing technological capability and meet the expectations of the Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum (Scottish CCC) Technology Education Development Program. (Contains 2 figures, 2 tables and 2 notes.)
Supervisor's Perceptions of the Work Attitudes of Two Groups of Employees
Author: Brauchle, Paul E.
Date: 2003-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Employees,Work Attitudes,Job Skills,Context Effect,Work Ethic,Measures (Individuals),Personnel Evaluation,Supervisors

This study investigates whether the type of job (i.e., information job versus noninformation job) had an effect on employee work attitudes as rated by their supervisors. In this study, the Occupational Work Ethic Inventory (OWEI), a self-reporting type instrument, was used to record supervisors' responses on the work attitudes of information and noninformation employees. The OWEI is a 50-item instrument developed for measuring affective work attitudes using a 1 to 7 Likert-type scale. This study revealed that supervisors perceive differences in work attitudes between information and noninformation employees and that the supervisors rate information employees higher than noninformation employees on 45 out of 50 OWEI items. This result supports earlier findings by Azam (2002), who obtained differences in self-perceptions of work attitudes between information and noninformation employees. Research is needed to shed light on the reasons that supervisors perceive these two groups of workers differently, to determine whether these perceptions are based on real differences between the two types of workers or just the orientation of the supervisors, and to ascertain which skill sets are best used by supervisors in dealing with both groups of employees.
Portfolios: Conceptual Foundations and Functional Implications
Author: Luescher, Andreas
Date: 2003-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Portfolio Assessment,Higher Education,Evaluation,Technology,Evidence,Outcomes of Education,Core Curriculum,Organizational Objectives,Technology Education

In this article the authors address several important areas that combine to illuminate the portfolio as performance, index, and design. They provide an in-depth look at the conceptual foundation and selected functional implications of portfolios. Accordingly, the foundations laid here may serve as a basis for further development and application to a comprehensive application of the portfolio methodology. The authors also present several different types of portfolios including (a) a student portfolio: a show of accomplishments for a class; (b) a project portfolio: a documentary of project or independent study; (c) a personal portfolio: a scrapbook or collection of one's interests; (d) a professional portfolio: an organized collection of complex, performance-based evidence that indicates one's growth, goals, and current knowledge and skills needed to be competent in a role or area of expertise; and (e) a teaching portfolio: a selection of artifacts and reflective entries representing a teacher's professional experiences, teaching competencies, and growth over a period of time. (Contains 1 figure.)
Distance Learning: A Comparison of Classroom Students with Off-Campus Television Students
Author: Sharp, William L.
Date: 2003-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: On Campus Students,Distance Education,Television,Instructional Leadership,Internet,College Students,Student Surveys,Synchronous Communication,Comparative Analysis,Extension Education,Commuting Students,Self Contained Classrooms,Principals,Nontraditional Education,Virtual Classrooms,Computer Assisted Instruction,Computer Mediated Communication,Video Technology,Web Based Instruction

This article presents a summary of a study that was undertaken to increase the level of understanding of some of the issues associated with distance learning in higher education. The authors sought to do this by gathering and comparing direct feedback from both on-campus and off-campus students regarding discussion, attendance, and student assessment procedures. In keeping with the need to compare students in traditional classrooms and students at remote-site locations, the authors decided to compare the perceptions of their students in two different traditional classroom courses with students who took the same courses via television. The students participating in the study were taking classes in the Department of Educational Leadership at Ball State University (BSU). The study found that the students had prior experience with television classes, with some students having had extensive experience. The &quot;no-call-in&quot; rule was considered reasonable by the students, and most of the on-campus students were not bothered by the phones ringing from the off-campus sites. The results will be of interest to those already involved in or considering a distance education initiative. (Contains 1 table.)
Flexible Learning via Web-Based Virtual Teaching and Virtual Laboratory Systems
Author: Chu, K. C.
Date: 2003-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Feedback (Response),Independent Study,Computer Assisted Instruction,Laboratories,Engineering,Foreign Countries,Learning Experience,Internet,Enrollment,Vocational Education,Engineering Education,College Students,Multimedia Instruction,Student Motivation,Environmental Education,Computer Simulation,Web Based Instruction,Virtual Classrooms,Hands on Science,Experiential Learning

In the current economic situation, most academic institutions would like to plan new courses to increase enrollment. Often, these changes do not follow with a proportional increase in cost or staff numbers to the institution. For cost-efficiency reasons, a reduction in student contact hours is most desirable, providing that this can maintain the quality of the learning experience. Web-based teaching is a possible and economical solution to this problem. To implement Web-based teaching, the Department of Engineering of Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (Tsing Yi) set up an interactive virtual teaching (VT) system and another virtual laboratory (VL) system for the subject Logic System for students studying subdegree engineering courses. The developer built these interactive virtual teaching and laboratory systems, and the subdegree engineering students who used the systems provided valuable feedback. Actually, these nonstop systems can provide a multimedia learning environment to motivate students, promote a more active form of learning, offer more individualized and independent learning, and provide simulations of complex scientific processes that are less likely to be demonstrated in a normal class or laboratory. The feedback from students confirms that they like this innovative learning and working environment and feel encouraged to learn better in this way. The fact that students do not have real face-to-face learning and hands-on experience with the senses are the drawbacks of these Web-based teaching systems. Actually, VT or VL is not going to replace normal teaching or workshops. They can provide a complement to traditional classroom and laboratory resources. There is the trend for tertiary institutes to increase student enrollment but without adding any staff. In order to overcome this increasing student-staff ratio and maintain the teaching and learning quality, the authors suggest that universities or colleges could implement Web-based teaching and laboratory systems to reduce the workload of teaching staff and improve the learning outcome of the students. (Contains 3 figures and 1 table.)
A Curricular and Instructional Challenge: Teaching and Learning for Technological Literacy/Capability
Author: Levande, James S.
Date: 2003-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Literacy,Technological Literacy,Technology Education,Higher Education,Models,Elementary Secondary Education,Illiteracy,Rhetoric

A major assumption of this article is that the field of technological studies is committed to the development of technological literacy and capability. And, that the need for technological literacy and capability is essential to avoid a breakdown in the quality of contemporary life. A major problem exists in how this is to be accomplished. The problem's solution requires answers to the questions of: To what extent or degree should it be achieved at any given time and place? Where should it be achieved? and Who is responsible in achieving literacy and capability? Streichler (2000) encapsulated the issues that revolve around these questions by asking the field to establish a framework and formalize a continuum that addresses "technology" and the "learner". The challenges that must be met in achieving the "continuum" include: (1) changes in professional behavior; (2) bringing segments of the field together; (3) giving up past concepts and processes; and (4) the quality, direction, and quantity of research in the field. In this article, the author discusses these challenges and the application of the user/learner-centered approach to the challenges The user-centered complex of technology, because of its inclusive nature, can accommodate the other remaining functions for the establishment of a continuum. The author examines each in relation to its place in the complex. (Contains 2 figures.)