ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Mathematics Teaching Anxiety Scale: Construction, Reliability and Validity
Author: Alkan, Vesile
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mathematics Anxiety,Rating Scales,Mathematics Instruction,Test Construction,Test Validity,Test Reliability,Preservice Teachers,Elementary School Teachers,Foreign Countries,Factor Analysis,Self Efficacy

This study aimed to develop mathematics teaching anxiety scale for prospective primary school teachers. It was designed based on survey method and conducted with four sampling group consisting of 956 prospective primary school teachers at Education Faculties in Turkey. First sampling group was consisted of 404 prospective primary school teachers and 96 out of it were involved in the application of open-ended questions and 308 were involved in exploratory factor analysis. 305 prospective primary school teachers in the second sampling group participated in the confirmatory factor analysis, 108 prospective teachers in the third group were involved in criterion validity and 139 prospective teachers in the fourth one participated in the test-retest reliability analysis. As a result of the principal component analysis of the Mathematics Teaching Anxiety Scale (MTAS), it was found that the scale indicating single factor structure and consisting of 31 items (47.43% of the total variance). After suggested modifications, the scale MTAS was constructed with 19 items. 12 items were removed from the scale and the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was carried out with 19 items. According to CFA results (0=X2 / df = 1.483=2, RMSEA = 0.040, RMR = 0.050, AGFI = 0.908, TLI = 0.972, CFI = 0.976, IFI = 0.976, GFI = 0.928, NFI = 0.930 and RFI = 0.919), it was confirmed that the scale structure was consisting of 19 items and one dimension. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the final form of Mathematics Teaching Anxiety Scale was calculated as 0.93. [For the corresponding online submission, see ED602295.]
The Role of Critical Thinking in Academic Writing: An Investigation of EFL Students&apos; Perceptions and Writing Experiences
Author: Tahira, Muneeba
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Critical Thinking,Academic Language,English (Second Language),Student Attitudes,Graduate Students,Persuasive Discourse,Writing (Composition),Foreign Students,Skill Development,Foreign Countries,Western Civilization,Females,Teacher Education,Cultural Background

It is generally considered that evidence of critical thinking, as expressed through argumentation, is central to successful academic writing at Western universities. However, the concept of critical thinking is complex: its nature is difficult to define and students, especially those coming from 'non-Western' backgrounds, are perceived to have difficulty in implementing a critical dimension in their writing. The present study, based on the use of in-depth interviews with three postgraduate students, presents findings on the students' interpretations of critical thinking, the factors which they perceive to affect the implementation of critical thinking, and the perceptions of their development as critical thinkers. The findings show that the students, despite coming from different traditions of discourse, have a fairly comprehensive understanding of critical thinking and willingly engage with it. The findings also reveal that although cultural background plays a role in influencing their writing styles, the students have the capacity to learn and master a new discourse. The problems they encountered were due to uncertainty in demonstrating an argument, insufficient subject knowledge, and problematic issues surrounding the essay genre, such as authorial voice and assessment demands. Implications for university departments and tutors are that they should review their writing instruction and guidelines so as to make the requirements of argument more explicit and easily understandable, and in the long term, to reevaluate the norms of the traditional essay form to accommodate a wider spectrum of expression.
On the Statistical and Heuristic Difficulty Estimates of a High Stakes Test in Iran
Author: Bazvand, Ali Darabi
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,High Stakes Tests,Test Items,Difficulty Level,Test Theory,Item Response Theory,Student Attitudes,College Entrance Examinations,Doctoral Programs,College Applicants,Doctoral Students

The findings of previous research into the compatibility of stakeholders' perceptions with statistical estimations of item difficulty are not seemingly consistent. Furthermore, most research shows that teachers' estimation of item difficulty is not reliable since they tend to overestimate the difficulty of easy items and underestimate the difficulty of difficult items. Therefore, the present study aims to analyze a high stakes test in terms of heuristic (test takers' standpoint) and statistical difficulty (CTT and IRT) and investigate the extent to which the findings from the two perspectives converge. Results indicate that, 1) the whole test along with its sub-tests is difficult which might lead to test invalidity; 2) the respondents' ratings of the total test in terms of difficulty level are almost convergent with the difficulty values indicated by IRT and CTT, except for the two subtests where students underestimated the difficulty values, and 3) CTT difficulty estimates are convergent with IRT difficulty estimates. Therefore, it can be concluded that students' perceptions of item difficulty might be a better estimate of test difficulty and a combination of test takers' perceptions and statistical difficulty might provide a better picture of item difficulty in assessment contexts.
Incorporating English as a Primary Language into the Andorran Educational System
Author: Van Santvoort, Claudine
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Language of Instruction,English (Second Language),Language Proficiency,Second Language Instruction,Second Language Learning,Teaching Methods,Multilingualism,Language Usage,Elementary Secondary Education

The aim of this paper is to propose how to incorporate English as a main language into the Andorran educational system starting in primary school, using a combination of Content and Language Integrated Learning and traditional language classes, in order to address the increasing need for Andorran students to be proficient in English as a result of the global spread of the English language and Andorra's situation within Europe. Although English is taught as a foreign language within the Andorran educational system, students are not graduating with a sufficient level of proficiency in English to meet today's demands. The primary method of data collection was acquired through the review of literature concerning language education, plurilingualism and the role of the English language in globalization. We also conducted a semi-structured interview with the director of the Andorran school system as well as with a local primary school principal in order to gather relevant data regarding the reality within the country. As a conclusion, we will demonstrate that students´ linguistic proficiency will improve, not only in children at a high socioeconomic level, but also in students that cannot afford to study English outside of school.
Analyzing the Maximum Likelihood Score Estimation Method with Fences in Ca-MST
Author: Sahin, Melek Gülsah
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Maximum Likelihood Statistics,Computation,International Assessment,Foreign Countries,Mathematics Tests,Mathematics Achievement,Achievement Tests,Grade 8,Adaptive Testing,Computer Assisted Testing,Statistical Bias

New statistical methods are being added to the literature as a result of scientific developments each and every day. This study aims at investigating one of these, Maximum Likelihood Score Estimation with Fences (MLEF) method, in ca-MST. The results obtained from this study will contribute to both national and international literature since there is no such study on the applicability of MLEF method in ca-MST. In line with the aim of this study, 48 conditions (4 module lengths (5-10-15-20) x 2 panel designs (1-3; 1-3-3) x 2 ability distribution (normal-uniform) x 3 ability estimation methods (MLEFMLE-EAP) were simulated and the data obtained from the simulation were interpreted with correlation, RMSE and AAD as an implication of measurement precision; and with conditional bias calculation in order to show the changes in each ability level. This study is a post-hoc simulation study using the data from TIMSS 2015 at the 8th grade in mathematics. &quot;xxIRT&quot; R package program and MSTGen simulation software tool were used in the study. As a result, it can be said that MLEF, as a new ability estimation method, is superior to MLE method in all conditions. EAP estimation method gives the best results in terms of the measurement precision based on correlation, RMSE and AAD values, whereas the results gained via MLEF estimation method are pretty close to those in EAP estimation method. MLE proves to be less biased in ability estimation, especially in extreme ability levels, when compared to EAP ability estimation method.
Assessing Time Knowledge in Children Aged 10 to 11 Years
Author: Brace, Nicola
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Time,Foreign Countries,Screening Tests,Knowledge Level,Elementary School Students

The acquisition of time knowledge involves learning how to read clocks, estimate time, read dates and learn about temporal sequences. Evidence suggests that many of these competencies are acquired by 10 years of age although not all children may follow this developmental path. The main purpose of this study was to collect normative data for a screening tool that assesses time knowledge. These data identify the prevalence and pattern of difficulties with time knowledge among a UK sample of Year 6 pupils (aged 10 to 11 years). The Time Screening Assessment tool (Doran, Dutt &amp; Pembery, 2015), designed to assess time knowledge, was administered individually to a sample of 79 children. Findings revealed a median overall score of 32 out of a maximum score of 36. 25% of children performed at or close to ceiling, however seven children scored more than -1.5 standard deviations below the mean. The value of these findings to practitioners working with children in schools is discussed.
Factor Structure of the CES-D in an Impoverished African American Sample
Author: Porter, Mitchell
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Depression (Psychology),Measures (Individuals),Symptoms (Individual Disorders),African Americans,Parents,Economically Disadvantaged,Factor Structure

The Center of Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES-D) has been used for decades to identify symptomatology of depression in individuals. Overtime, the factor structure of the scale has been both confirmed and challenged when applied to different population samples. The present study explores the factor structure in population sample consisting of impoverished African American parents (N=1,020), and the data were collected from the Mobile Youth Study (MYS). Two-, four-, and higher-order models were used to identify the best fitting model. The results indicate that the most parsimonious model is a two-factor structure.
Creative Writing in Classroom: A Real Story
Author: Haider, Ghulam
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Creative Writing,Foreign Countries,Writing Instruction,Cultural Differences

The article discusses the real story of creative writing in Pakistan creative writing in Pakistan lacks a big work both inside a class room and outside a class room. In Pakistan writing instruction still depends on a typical product oriented approach. That is why the trends in the pedagogical setting support product-oriented approach to writing. Pakistan possesses a rich heritage of all sorts of genres that are supporting features for creative writing yet lack of research in this area has pushed it at the secondary place. Teaching of literature is a much focused area in colleges but it lacks creative writing. The role of examination board(s) is also not so much effective. There is no any systematic program of evaluating the written product. Rather non standardized scoring guides are used to evaluate the written pieces of the students. That is why error is considered a mistake in spite of a way to learning. This condition can be made better if writing teachers start considering that 'creativity flourishes where there is a systematic strategy to promote it. In addition, they must suggest approaches to teaching such as the genre approach or the process approach for developing creative writing.
Globalization, Culture and Education in Samoa
Author: Tuia, Tagataese Tupu
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Global Approach,Social Influences,Cultural Influences,Educational Methods,Educational Change,Postcolonialism,Cultural Capital,Social Values,History,Pacific Islanders,Elementary Secondary Education

The paper focuses on the impact of globalization on postcolonial Samoa's social, culture, and education. Due to the many global social, cultural, economical and educational changes, Samoa in the postcolonial era is currently in the process of recontextualising and restructuring Samoan cultural values to coincide with its social, cultural, economical and educational global changes. This recontextualising and restructuring is part of comprehending Samoa's hybrid social, cultural and education system in the current climate of transformation permeating Pacific nations. The colonial influence has continued to linger in postcolonised Samoa. These influences are reinvigorated by globalization which contributes to the social, cultural, and educational problems of Samoans. It then directs discussion on the transformation of Samoan cultural and social values to western ways of living, which also leads to problems in the lives of former colonized individuals. The argument put forward by this paper is that there has to be a constructive post-colonial Samoa education system embracing global changes, and people to be well versed in the essence of these changes.
Developing an Item Bank for Progress Tests and Application of Computerized Adaptive Testing by Simulation in Medical Education
Author: Kosan, Aysen Melek Aytug
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Item Banks,Adaptive Testing,Computer Assisted Testing,Medical Education,Medical Students,Test Reliability,Foreign Countries,Test Validity,Construct Validity,Item Response Theory,Achievement Tests,Student Evaluation,Test Construction

Progress Test (PT) is a form of assessment that simultaneously measures ability levels of all students in a certain educational program and their progress over time by providing them with same questions and repeating the process at regular intervals with parallel tests. Our objective was to generate an item bank for the PT and to examine the possible fit of CAT for PT application. This study is a descriptive study. 1206 medical students participated. During the analysis of the psychometric properties of PT item bank, &quot;the Rasch model for dichotomous items was used&quot;. Several CAT simulations were performed by applying various stopping rules of different standard errors. CAT simulation estimates were compared with the estimates generated from the original calibration of the Rasch model where all items were included. After Rasch analysis, a unidimensional PT item bank consisting of 103 items was obtained. The item bank reliability was calculated as 0.77 with Person Separation Index (PSI) and Kuder-Richardson Formula 20 (KR20). A high correlation between [Theta] estimations obtained from paper-and-pencil ([Theta]RM) and CAT applications ([Theta[subscript CAT]) was detected for simulation conditions ([N(0,1)] and [N(0,3)]) at the end of our analysis. In CAT, estimation can be made with an average of 14 questions (reduced 86,4%) and 17 questions (reduced 83,4%) [for N(0,1) and [N(0,3) respectively] with reliability of 0,75. This study reveals that it is possible to develop an appropriate item bank for the PT, and the difficulty of administering large number of items in PT can be scaled down by incorporating CAT application.
Perception of Peer Bullying and Victimization Amoung Early Adolescent
Author: Ates, Aliye
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Bullying,Victims,Early Adolescents,Middle School Students,Peer Relationship,Student Attitudes,Conflict,Parents,Interpersonal Relationship,Foreign Countries,Gender Differences,Parent Child Relationship,Parenting Styles

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between parental attitudes and bullying and victimization among young adolescents in Famagusta, Northern Cyprus. A total of 149 adolescents (85 girls, 64 boys) (mean age of 12.9 years, range of 12-15 years) were recruited from middle schools. The ages of the students were between 12 (47.7%) to 15 (8.1%) years old. The study included a demographic information form and four questionnaires, which are The Adolescent-Family Process Measure (mother form), Multidimensional Peer Victimization Questionnaire, Peer Bullying Questionnaire and Children's Perception of Inter-parental Conflict Questionnaire (CPIC). Results showed that gender was indicated for in school bullying among adolescents. The quality of Children's Perception of Inter-parental Conflict on bulling was studied, and it was found that adolescents generally thought like their parents even if they have conflicts with them.
The Evaluation of Children&apos;s Expectations about Literacy Environment
Author: Kartal, Hülya
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Elementary School Students,Grade 4,Student Attitudes,Expectation,Literacy,Educational Environment,Reading Habits,Family Environment,Recreational Reading,Preferences

The aim of this study is, by means of a multi-faceted evaluation of the expectations of fourth-grade primary school students from their literacy environment, to put forward suggestions aimed at improving this environment. The study was carried out according to the homogeneous sampling method, which is one of the methods of purposive sampling. For this purpose, 103 pupils from the fourth grade of a school were contacted in order to determine their expectations from their literacy environment. For the research data, a data collection tool made up of 19 items of the gap-fill type was compiled from studies in the literature aimed at the literacy environment. Frequency tables were drawn up according to the responses given to these items by the students. The analyzed data revealed that children to read entertaining book the most, and preferred to read in their bedrooms. Results also indicated that children wanted their parents to be quiet while reading and they preferred their mothers mostly to read books to them as compared to their fathers.
Common Algorithms of Primary Stress Placement on Polysyllabic Words
Author: Yurtbasi, Metin
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Turkish,Phonology,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Pretests Posttests,Syllables,Pronunciation,Language Tests,Pronunciation Instruction,Interference (Language),Morphemes,Dictionaries,Electronic Publishing,Language Rhythm,Grammar,Instructional Effectiveness,Foreign Countries,Computational Linguistics,Teaching Methods,Drills (Practice),Oral Language,Computer Assisted Instruction

Turkish students tend to make considerable stress placement errors when pronouncing English polysyllabic words because of the interference of the traditional word stress patterns of their mother tongue. They usually misplace stresses in their utterance, both either as a result of their native pronunciation habits or their lack of stress-placing knowledge in the target language. Experience has clearly shown that one of the most visible areas of weakness in Turkish students learning English is stress placement. This is the main problem to be explored and resolved in this research with an &quot;algorithm of suffixes&quot;. The learners of English in Turkey are very much in need of practising such algorithm listings and going through electronic dictionaries. The study patterns or algorithms in this research involve in at least four-syllabled words with one prominent primarily stressed syllable. Students are first given a pretest to see how they naturally fare in English rhythm to expose their wrongly-misplaced stress patterns, their stress mobility concept and their fossilized erratic stressing habits. In the pretest, 25 questions are downloaded via the audacity program given to them within 5 second-intervals three times by the computer. Those freshmen non-initiated to the English stress patterns clearly present in this test a total lack of English stress pattern marked by a general irregularity in their utterance. Then they are briefed on general characteristics of English stress pattern of such polysyllabic words based on their grammatical category within an algorithm of some general suffix patterns. After a 3 hour intensive stress placement drill, a post-test of fresh 25 words is administrated to them. This post-test determines the rate of students' improvement in their pronunciation and proves the efficiency of the algorithm of suffixes introduced.
An Investigation of the Writing Processses of Students with Hearing Loss: Implications for Teaching of Writing
Author: Haider, Ghulam
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Hearing Impairments,Writing Processes,Essays,Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Writing Skills,Writing Instruction,Writing Tests,College Students,Teacher Education Programs

This study explores the writing processes of students with hearing impairment. Students were given an expository essay for writing. The students produced two data sets: first was obtained at entrance test and second on the completion of the course. All data sets were scored with the help of a scoring guide that was provided by the English department of Govt. Training College for Teaches of the Deaf. Findings have revealed that although the students texts had very clear errors of language and vocabulary, they improved the organization and content of their texts. This presentation reviews literature on deaf adolescents' writing before exploring the structural gains the students in this study demonstrated. Sample papers and their rating scores will be used.