ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Using Virtual Reality Learning Environments to Motivate and Socialize Undergraduates in Distance Learning
Author: Çoban, Murat
Date: 2022-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Simulation,Undergraduate Students,Preservice Teachers,Young Adults,Socialization,Computer Mediated Communication,Online Courses,Web Based Instruction,Distance Education,Synchronous Communication,Handheld Devices,Gender Differences,Learning Motivation,Foreign Countries

Interest in virtual reality technologies has increased significantly in recent years, and an effort is being made to integrate it into educational environments. This study aims to investigate the impact of synchronous distance courses in the Virtual Reality (VR) learning environment (via vAcademia) and Web-based (via Adobe Connect) learning environment on undergraduate students' learning motivation and levels of perceived sociability. The sample of the study was conducted with experimental (VR) and control group (Web-based) quasi-experimental design consists of 41 undergraduate students (experimental: 21, control: 20). As a result of the t-test and two-way ANOVA analysis, there was a significant difference between the groups in favor of the VR group regarding motivation and perceived sociability. The motivation and perceived sociability in the 3D VR environment of the students in distance learning were significantly higher than in the web-based environment. It was also found out that students' motivation and perceived sociability levels did not vary depending on gender or on the technological device (smartphone or computer) that students use when connecting to online classes. The research results indicated that the VR learning environment effectively ensured students' motivation and sociability in the distance learning process. In this context, institutions should be aware of the importance of VR technologies and plan to teach accordingly which may make the process more efficient.
Pre-School Teachers&apos; Knowledge and Needs Related to Noticing Gifted Children and the Enrichment Model
Author: Dereli, Esra
Date: 2022-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Knowledge Level,Academically Gifted,Talent Identification,Gifted Education,Enrichment Activities,Student Needs,Classroom Environment,Teacher Student Relationship,Class Size,Barriers,Foreign Countries,Teacher Attitudes,Family Environment

The main purpose in the study was to determine the knowledge and needs of pre-school teachers related to gifted children and the enrichment model. The study employs one of the qualitative research methods. The study group of the current research is comprised of 30 pre-school teachers selected by using the snowball sampling method from different regions of Turkey which ensures maximum variation. The data of the study were collected through semi-structure interviews. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers either face-to-face or online. The collected data were analysed inductively using the content analysis method in the NVivo 12 program. As a result of the analyses, it was found that the pre-school teachers' knowledge about noticing gifted children and enrichment practices are limited. In this study it is determined that pre-school teachers have sufficient knowledge and skills for noticing gifted children, taking into account the developmental characteristics of gifted children, but they do not take into account other features. It was concluded that the pre-school teachers' shortcomings that should be addressed in relation to noticing are lack of knowledge, the lack of information about different family structures and crowded classrooms. In addition, as a result of qualitative data analysis, it was found that the needs of the teachers are to get acquainted, support and guide children. Teachers also stated that their needs for enrichment practices are knowledge, equipment, less crowded classrooms, and financial support. According to the results of the research, it can be said that preschool teachers need information about identifying, supporting, and enriching gifted children.
Impact of School Culture on School Effectiveness in Government Schools in Maldives
Author: Ismail, Mamdooha
Date: 2022-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: School Culture,School Effectiveness,Public Schools,Elementary School Teachers,Secondary School Teachers,Correlation,Leadership Styles,Institutional Mission,Instructional Leadership,Collegiality,Professional Development,Teacher Collaboration,Foreign Countries

School culture is considered to be a system of meanings that influence every aspect of the school including school effectiveness. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of school culture on school effectiveness in government schools in Maldives. A quantitative approach using a survey design was adopted for the study. In order to achieve the research objective, a sample of 359 teachers was selected from government schools in the capital city, Malé through stratified random sampling. In the study, data were collected with scales related to two different variables, school culture and school effectiveness. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data using SPSS-25 and AMOS-25. The study revealed that the level of school culture and school effectiveness were high in Maldivian schools. According to the results, school culture had a significant influence on school effectiveness. The findings suggest that a positive and collaborative school culture enhances school effectiveness. In addition, it reflects the importance of creating a positive and collaborative school culture that empowers all school members to work towards common goals, which improves the effectiveness of the school. The findings confirm the current proposition that a positive school culture is instrumental in achieving school effectiveness, adding clarity to the understanding of school culture as a critical component of an effective school.
Teachers Working in Special Schools in Scotland Acting with Practical Wisdom: Supporting Children with Additional Needs in COVID-19 Lockdown
Author: Mercieca, Daniela
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Special Schools,Foreign Countries,Special Education Teachers,COVID-19,Pandemics,Teacher Attitudes,Students with Disabilities,Special Needs Students,Teaching Experience,Distance Education,Elementary School Teachers

The COVID-19 lockdown has substantially disrupted the established facets of teacher engagement with their students, and, given the significance of this multidimensional interaction, it brings into question what we know as teachers' identity. The lockdown has offered a dilemmatic context where the processes of teaching and learning and being(s) a teacher are being re-visited and re-negotiated. This paper looks specifically at the perceptions of two teachers of their lockdown experience working within a special education context in Scotland, supporting children with disabilities and/or learning difficulties while at home. The question that this paper addresses is: what is the understanding of these two teachers of their role in a specialised educational context while in COVID-19 lockdown? This paper uses 'practical wisdom' (also known as &quot;phronesis&quot;) as its theoretical basis, where the focus is on teachers' judgements at precisely those moments where guidelines and procedures are unclear, and the criteria open to multiple interpretations. The COVID-19 pandemic certainly provided this context. Richard Smith's interpretation of &quot;phronesis&quot; as 'attentiveness' are central to this paper. In-depth interviews carried out with teachers are analysed through this theoretical framework and two themes are discussed.
Examining the Impact of Institutional Integration and Cultural Integrity on Sense of Belonging for Native Students at Non-Native Colleges and Universities
Author: Oxendine, Symphony
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Social Integration,Sense of Community,Integrity,American Indian Students,College Students,Social Support Groups,Peer Relationship,Cultural Influences

The purpose of this quantitative multi-institutional study was to examine the contributions of institutional integration and cultural integrity to Native college students' sense of belonging within Non-Native Colleges and Universities. Both cultural integrity and institutional integration contributed significantly to sense of belonging. This study revealed that social support and peer-group interaction are the most significant factors contributing to sense of belonging for Native college students. In addition, staff support and lack of social isolation were also significant contributors to sense of belonging.
Promoting Students&apos; Perceived Self-Efficacy towards 21st Century Skills through Everyday Life-Related Scenarios
Author: Semilarski, Helen
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Self Efficacy,21st Century Skills,Vignettes,Science Education,Skill Development,Interdisciplinary Approach,Concept Mapping

Interdisciplinary science learning can play a central role in promoting students' 21st century skills. However, students tend to have low perceived self-efficacy towards 21st century skills, thus limiting the application of their actual scientific competence. This study seeks, based on a 1.5-year intervention study, to promote students' perceived self-efficacy towards 21st century skills through science learning compared to a non-experimental group. During the intervention, everyday life-related scenarios were utilized, with students guided to create core idea maps. Data on students' perceived self-efficacy were collected before and after the intervention. Results showed that students' perceived self-efficacy towards 21st century skills changed in a significantly positively way after the intervention.
Is It a Cube? Common Visual Perception of Cuboid Drawings
Author: Hoffmann, Miklós
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Visual Perception,Geometric Concepts,Freehand Drawing,College Freshmen,Mathematics Education,Knowledge Level

A cube is one of the most fundamental shapes we can draw and can observe from a drawing. The two visualization methods most commonly applied in mathematics textbooks and education are the axonometric and the perspective representations. However, what we see in the drawing is really a cube or only a general cuboid (i.e., a polyhedron with different edge lengths). In this experimental study, 153 first-year ( 19-20-year-old) students, two-thirds of them being female, were asked to interactively adjust a cuboid figure until they believe what they see is really a cube. We were interested in how coherently people, who are actually students of arts studies and engineering with advanced spatial perception skills in most cases, evaluate these drawings. What we have experienced is that for most people there is a common visual understanding of seeing a cube (and not a general cuboid). Moreover, this common sense is surprisingly close to the conventions applied in axonometric drawings, and to the theoretical, geometric solution in the case of three-point perspective drawings, which is the most realistic visualization method.
Seen and Unseen: First-Year College Students&apos; Sense of Belonging during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Author: Potts, Charlie
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Freshmen,Sense of Community,COVID-19,Pandemics,Student Adjustment,Resilience (Psychology),Interpersonal Relationship

This qualitative research study examines the sense of belonging among first year students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the study focuses on how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced a sense of belonging among first year students as they transition to college. Focus group data collected at a small, liberal arts institution was analyzed using thematic analysis, and three main themes are explored: Navigating uncertainty, seeking in-person connection, and developing resilience. Findings and implications from this study illuminate a need to rethink approaches to students whose sense of belonging has been impacted by disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Milwaukee Makes a Difference: Recognizing Gifted Students from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families
Author: O'Brien, Susan
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Urban Schools,Gifted,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Equal Education,Disproportionate Representation,Gifted Education,Talent,School Districts,At Risk Students,Excellence in Education,Instructional Leadership,Capacity Building,Trust (Psychology),Public Schools,Program Descriptions,Elementary School Students,Summer Programs,Enrichment Activities,Principals,Administrator Attitudes,Minority Group Students,Low Income Students,Grants,Teacher Attitudes,Gifted Disabled,Cultural Differences

Gifted education today faces a significant challenge in reaching equity as well as excellence. This is reflected in the disproportionate underrepresentation of children from Black, Hispanic, Native, and low-income families. This pattern of underrepresentation within programs for students with gifts and talents is pervasive and pernicious and impacts gifted education programming across all 50 states in the United States of America. This article describes the efforts of Milwaukee Public Schools, a large urban school district in Wisconsin, to address the need for both equity and excellence within their gifted education programming. The U-STRARS-PLUS model formed the foundation for changing the culture of the schools from &quot;at risk&quot; to &quot;at potential&quot;. Dedicated leadership and the combination of securing external support, developing internal trust, and building capacity across the district were critical to creating a strength-based focus within the schools. While the journey is not over, the authors hope that others can learn from Milwaukee's experiences.
Appreciative Advising as a Mechanism for Student Development
Author: Virtue, Emily E.
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Academic Advising,College Freshmen,Academic Probation,Student Development,Required Courses,Student Responsibility,Time Management,Study Skills

University students who are placed on academic warning are often required to enroll in a course or program to support their return to good academic standing. This case study investigated the major issues that contributed to first-year students' academic struggles and how their participation in the Learning Contract course, guided by Appreciative Advising, addressed their needs and supported their development. Implications for advising practice are discussed.
Examining Relationships between Acculturative and Life Stress of International Students in the United States
Author: Rai, Abha
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Acculturation,Stress Variables,Foreign Students,Student Adjustment,Regression (Statistics),Student Characteristics,College Students

International students in the United States face unique challenges of adjusting to college life in a foreign country due to additional stressors of language, differing academic and study habits, and being socially isolated from their home environment. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the levels of acculturative stress of international students enrolled at a Southern U.S. university. We used logistic regression to examine the relationships between life stress, time spent in the U.S. and acculturative stress controlling for socio-demographic differences between students. Our regression model was statistically significant and explained 37.5% of the variance. Overall, we found that country of origin and academic stress, an attribute of life stress contributed to overall acculturative stress. Implications for higher education, college campus staff and service providers are discussed.
Professionalizing Student Affairs: Five Tensions
Author: McGill, Craig M.
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Personnel Services,Student Personnel Workers,Professional Recognition,Barriers,Specialization,Professional Associations,Credentials,Professional Autonomy

Scholars and practitioners have discussed the professionalization of student affairs almost since the birth of the field in 19th century. Professionalizing a field can improve its status and better serve members of an occupation and their clients (Pavalko, 1988). The purpose of this paper is to identify points of tension that illustrate efforts to professionalize and barriers to achieve professional status. As scholars and practitioners of student affairs, we offer five tensions: lack of specialized knowledge, lack of unified purpose and focus, divided professional community, diversity of student affairs credentialing, and lack of autonomy for student affairs practitioners at both the individual and organizational levels. We conclude with implications for practice and research.
Using Cases as a Means to Discuss Errors in Mathematics Teacher Education
Author: Barkai, Ruthi
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Case Method (Teaching Technique),Problem Solving,Error Patterns,Mathematics Education,High School Students,Trigonometry,Geometric Concepts,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Teacher Certification,Teacher Workshops,Discussion (Teaching Technique)

Errors are a major component of the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) needed for teaching mathematics. In this study, 25 prospective teachers (PTs) in high schools were invited to solve a trigonometric task that had been assigned to high-school students and, subsequently, to relate to an authentic solution containing mathematical errors, which was presented in a dialogue by a pair of students. While all PTs reached the final, correct solution, eight provided only one of the two results in one step of the solution. Almost all (23) PTs identified at least one of the students' errors. The case raised issues regarding the steps that should be written in a solution and the role of drawings in mathematical problems. This article suggests that exposing PTs to authentic teaching cases provides opportunities to discuss subtle issues related to their own mathematical knowledge and to obstacles that their future students might encounter when solving such tasks.
Emergency Teaching-Learning Methods (ETLM) during COVID-19: Lessons Learned from Sri Lanka
Author: Gangahagedara, Ruchira
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Computer Software,Telecommunications,Handheld Devices,Distance Education,Educational Change,COVID-19,Pandemics,Teaching Methods,Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Parent Attitudes,Learning Processes,Online Courses,Institutional Characteristics,Disadvantaged Schools,Social Media,Educational Policy,Elementary Secondary Education

Sri Lanka's education system was suddenly shifted from classroom-based free education to online-based distance learning as an emergency teaching and learning method (ETLM) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. This study examines how various stakeholders used online-based distant learning as an ETLM, and highlights the lessons learned from such a transition in Sri Lanka through a case study of the Kandy education zone (KEZ), in response to the country's COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. We obtained the data through a questionnaire survey from 19 schools in KEZ, selecting the teachers, students, and parents as a survey sample. The findings revealed that nearly 64.7% of teachers used social media for the teaching-learning process (TLP), 27.9% used standard online teaching platforms, and only 7.4% used traditional teaching methods during the pandemic lockdown. Additionally, 36.5% of teachers and 41.2% of students favored the WhatsApp mobile application for the TLP, while others preferred other applications. However, during the COVID-19 lockdown, most of the less privileged schools in the peripheral areas of the KEZ adopted traditional teaching methods (TTM). The extent of the gap in ETLM adaptation and the driving factors that led to observable discrepancies between privileged and non-privileged schools, even in the urban settings of the KEZ, are also discussed in this study. These findings are significant in terms of educational policy making and management. Overall, this research contributes to understanding the ETLM adaptation of the KEZ by proposing policy directions that policymakers and other higher education authorities in the country should consider in an emergency.
Using Analytics to Identify When Course Materials Are Accessed Relative to Online Exams during Digital Education
Author: Guzsvinecz, Tibor
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Learning Analytics,Instructional Materials,Computer Assisted Testing,Electronic Learning,Distance Education,Integrated Learning Systems,Video Technology,COVID-19,Pandemics,Access to Information,Cheating,Grades (Scholastic),Undergraduate Students,Foreign Countries

Face-to-face education has changed to blended or distance teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since education took a digital format, it can be investigated when course materials are accessed relative to online exams: are they opened before exams or during them? Therefore, four subjects were chosen for investigation at the University of Pannonia: one theoretical, one practical, and two that are both theoretical and practical were selected. Two groups of non-repeater 2nd-semester students and two groups of non-repeater 5th-semester students attended these classes. Slides were uploaded to the university's Moodle system, while videos were uploaded to YouTube. Their analytics were used for the investigation. The analyses were conducted in five groups of days relative to the exam day. According to the results, students studied throughout the semester for the normal exam in most cases, while they studied a day before the supplementary one. For cheating, the 2nd-semester students used significantly more slides, while 5th-semester students used significantly more videos. Even with cheating, the students in their 2nd semester received significantly worse marks by 26.06% than those who were in their 5th semester.
Elementary Students&apos; Reasoning in Drawn Explanations Based on a Scientific Theory
Author: Cabello, Valeria M.
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Students,Thinking Skills,Freehand Drawing,Science Education,Grade 4,Foreign Countries,Earth Science

Constructing explanations of scientific phenomena is a high-leverage practice that promotes student understanding. In the context of this study, we acknowledge that children are used to receiving explanations from teachers. However, they are rarely encouraged to construct explanations about the causes and consequences of phenomena. We modified a strategy to elicit and analyze primary students' reasoning based on scientific theory as a methodological advance in learning and cognition. The participants were fourth-graders of middle socioeconomic status in Chile's geographical zone with high seismic risk. They drew explanations about the causes and consequences of earthquakes during a learning unit of eighteen hours oriented toward explanation-construction based on the Tectonic Plates Theory. A constant comparative method was applied to analyze drawings and characterize students' reasoning used in pictorial representations, following the first coding step of the qualitative Grounded Theory approach. The results show the students expressed progressive levels of reasoning. However, several participants expressed explanations based on the phenomena causes even at an early stage of formal learning. More sophisticated reasoning regarding the scientific theory underpinning earthquakes was found at the end of the learning unit. We discuss approaching elementary students' scientific reasoning in explanations based on theory, connected with context-based science education.