ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
What Makes Them the Best? An Analysis of the Relationship between State Education Quality and Principal Preparation Practices
Author: Dodson, Richard L.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Quality,State Standards,Principals,Field Experience Programs,Leadership Training,Administrator Education,Learning Experience,Participant Satisfaction,Correlation,Program Effectiveness,Participant Characteristics,Institutional Characteristics,School Location,Relevance (Education),Training Methods

This article examines the relationship between principals' training experiences and perceived school quality in seven U.S. states. Current school principals were surveyed regarding their perceptions of the comparative effectiveness of field experiences in the principal preparation program (PPP) each attended. States were selected to represent high, middle, and low scorers in the annual &quot;Education Week&quot; &quot;Quality Counts&quot; report (Education Week, 2014). Surveys were emailed to school principals in Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, and South Dakota; the response rate was over 17 percent. Most respondents completed field experiences as part of their PPPs and considered many of those experiences to have been valuable learning tools. Principals from the highest-ranked states identified data-driven analysis as having helped prepare them the most, while principals from two of the three lowest-ranked states mentioned working with curriculum and data analysis and involvement in teacher observations and/or evaluations as field experiences that helped prepare them the most. This research found strong support for expanding the use of field experiences in principal training, especially as part of a longer PPP period or internship. It also indicates a need for more budget and finance training, teacher observation and evaluation training, curriculum training, and student discipline training.
Are Leaders Influenced by Advocates in Decisions on Special Education Eligibility?
Author: Kirkland, Erin K. B.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Instructional Leadership,Decision Making,Special Education,Eligibility,Administrator Role,Vignettes,Structured Interviews,Mixed Methods Research,Principals,Assistant Principals,Surveys,Hypothesis Testing,Advocacy,Social Theories,Stakeholders,Elementary Secondary Education

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of the opinions of private practitioners and educational advocates on instructional leaders' decision-making processes when making a recommendation for special education eligibility. School-based administrators (n = 56) with varying years of experience as special education administrators participated in this study. Using data from a series of vignettes and from structured interviews, results indicated that private practitioners and educational advocates significantly influence administrators' recommendations for special education eligibility.
Influential Spheres: Examining Actors' Perceptions of Education Governance
Author: Thier, Michael
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Governance,Educational Policy,Case Studies,Program Implementation,State Government,Semi Structured Interviews,Government Role,School District Autonomy,Administrators,Governing Boards,Coding,Curriculum Implementation,Barriers,Intervention,Budgets,Teacher Evaluation,Teacher Certification,State Boards of Education,Labor Turnover,Qualitative Research

Many layers of education governance press upon U.S. schools, so we separated state actors into those internal to and those external to the system. In the process, we unpacked the traditional state-local dichotomy. Using interview data (n = 45) from six case-study states, we analyzed local leaders', state-internal actors', and state-external players' perceptions of implementation flexibility and hindrances across several policy areas. We observed how interviewees' spheres of influence linked to which policy areas they viewed as salient or not, and their relative emphases on &quot;who&quot; and &quot;what&quot; within state education systems contributed to implementation flexibility and/or hindrances, and &quot;how&quot; these factors played out. We found important differences by sphere: the local sphere produced the most coherent findings, and state-internal was least coherent. We discuss implications for education governance research, applications for practitioners and policymakers, and a methodological contribution.
Beyond Broudy's Triad--Infusing University Students with the Love of Poetry
Author: Ben Zid, Mounir
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Students,Poetry,Teaching Methods,Heuristics,Foreign Countries

In spite of the diverse schools of thought providing guidance for poetry teachers--such as the didactic, heuristic, or phyletic approaches--this myriad of teaching modes has failed to generate adequate student appreciation for poetry courses. The reason for this is teachers' tendency to cling to the idea that one must choose a particular approach and find out the &quot;correct&quot; or &quot;fixed&quot; meaning. This study includes a recommendation for a major shift in teaching poetry that transforms each class session into a new &quot;learning&quot; rather than a teaching experience--one in which the instructor's role is to inspire a passion and love for poetry in ESL learners. This teaching-learning style requires that teachers change from being omniscient sages to participants, co-explorers, and learners--a move from teaching methods to learning styles and a shift from encouraging the love of teachers to inspiring the love of poetry in university students.
A Scale for Measuring Teachers' Mathematics-Related Beliefs: A Validity and Reliability Study
Author: Purnomo,Yoppy Wahyu
Date: 2017-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mathematics Teachers,Mathematics Instruction,Validity,Reliability,Elementary School Mathematics,Elementary School Teachers,Factor Analysis,Foreign Countries,Questionnaires,Test Construction,Beliefs,Attitude Measures,Teacher Attitudes,Student Evaluation

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a scale of teacher beliefs related to mathematics, namely, beliefs about the nature of mathematics, mathematics teaching, and assessment in mathematics learning. A scale development study was used to achieve it. The draft scale consisted of 54 items in which 16 items related to beliefs about the nature of mathematics, 23 items related to beliefs about the teaching of mathematics, and 15 items related to beliefs about assessment in mathematics learning. At the first phase, 252 primary school teachers participated and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed to evaluate the structure of the scale factor. There were two factors at each scale resulted from the analysis. At the second phase, 350 primary school teachers participated and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to confirm the factors resulted from the EFA. The result of CFA indicated that the established model had sufficient fit indices. In addition, each factor had an adequate internal consistency coefficient, which was in the range of 0.715-0.787. Thus, this scale could be a satisfactory tool to assess teachers' mathematics-related beliefs. Subsequent studies could combine these three scales into an integrated scale, to simplify statistical analysis.
Pre-Service Teachers' Metaphorical Perceptions Regarding the Concept of Curriculum
Author: Akinoglu, Orhan
Date: 2017-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Figurative Language,Student Attitudes,Phenomenology,Foreign Countries,Curriculum,Qualitative Research,Concept Formation,Content Analysis

The purpose of this study was to reveal pre-service teachers' perceptions regarding the concept of &quot;curriculum&quot; through metaphors. Phenomenology, which is one of the qualitative research designs, was used in the study. Data of the study was obtained by asking a total of 123 pre-service teachers, including 84 females and 39 males and studying at various departments in Ataturk Faculty of Education at Marmara University in Turkey in the spring semester of 2013-2014 academic year, to complete the statement &quot;Curriculum is like …….. Because…….&quot;. The collected data was analysed by content analysis technique and interpreted. According to the findings of the study, pre-service teachers produced a total number of 107 valid metaphors regarding the concept of &quot;curriculum&quot;, which were then categorized by considering their common features. Eight categories were obtained for the concept of &quot;curriculum&quot;. In general, pre-service teachers were found to have positive perceptions regarding the concept of &quot;curriculum&quot;.
An Analysis of Music Courses Offered in the Primary School Teacher Education Programs in Turkey
Author: Özgül, Ilhan
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Teacher Education Programs,Elementary Education,Music Education,Required Courses,Content Analysis,Qualitative Research,Academic Standards,Teacher Education Curriculum,College Credits,Educational Quality,Preservice Teacher Education

The aim of this study was to analyze music courses applied within the scope of compulsory courses in the primary school teacher training model in Turkey. Being qualitative in nature, the current study utilized document analysis method. Towards the stated aim, four approaches were discussed. The first one is related to the titles of the music courses stipulated in the primary school teachers training process and the credits/hours allocated for the music courses during the university schooling period in Turkey since 1974. The second one covers the preparation and general quality of the music course standards applied up to now. The third one is related to music course standards and appearance of these standards in the current teaching program, and the last one is related to the analysis of &quot;music and &quot;music teaching curriculum framework&quot; in terms of the expected behavior stated in the music teaching programs. In program analysis, three approaches were applied: Designed program analysis, conducted program analysis, and actualized program analysis.
Teacher Training in Myanmar: Teachers' Perceptions and Implications
Author: Ulla, Mark B.
Date: 2017-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Attitudes,Foreign Countries,Language Proficiency,Questionnaires,Focus Groups,Observation,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Teacher Education Programs,Elementary School Teachers,College Faculty,Student Centered Learning,Inservice Teacher Education

The British Council introduced the English for Education College Trainers (EfECT) Project in Myanmar. This program aims to improve the English language proficiency and teacher training methodologies of all state teacher trainers. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate teacher perceptions and attitudes towards this program. The methods used to collect the data were modified questionnaire, focus group discussions and class observation. Based on the findings, teachers reported that they had opportunities to interact with English speaking teachers, could practice their English skills and learned student-centered teaching methodologies. Some issues and challenges that they noted included lack of time for preparation, missing some sessions due to other responsibilities, having poor listening skills and pronunciation, and difficulty adapting to communicative learning and teaching styles. The implication of this study is for policy makers and educational organizations to support local teachers and help them become better teachers in the country.
Professional Satisfaction of Secondary Education Teachers: The Case of Greece
Author: Koutrouba, Konstantina
Date: 2017-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Job Satisfaction,Secondary School Teachers,Questionnaires,Teacher Attitudes,Factor Analysis,Faculty Development,Teaching (Occupation)

The present questionnaire-based study examines 379 Greek teachers' perceptions about professional satisfaction and dissatisfaction. According to the results, teachers are professionally satisfied when they, firstly, feel able to effectively establish behaviour and communication rules in their classrooms, secondly, respond to students' expectations and cooperate with parents and the school administration, thirdly, are supported by colleagues and educational services and, fourthly, share experiences in a collegial atmosphere. Job dissatisfaction, on the contrary, is reported to derive firstly from Curricula restrictions, secondly from a lack of specialized knowledge about teaching, and thirdly from the lack of a reliable assessment procedure.
Teachers' and Learners' Inclinations towards Animal Organ Dissection and Its Use in Problem-Solving
Author: Kavai, Portia
Date: 2017-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,High School Students,Grade 11,Biological Sciences,Problem Solving,Animals,Laboratory Procedures,Mixed Methods Research,Questionnaires,Likert Scales,Observation,Interviews,Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Science Curriculum,Educational Benefits,Teaching Methods,Data Analysis

In Life Sciences (biology) education, both nationally and internationally, the study of animal and organ morphology has traditionally involved dissection since the early 19th century. This study focused on the inclinations of teachers and learners towards animal organ dissection, and its use in problem-solving in Grade 11 Life Sciences education in the Gauteng Province, South Africa. A mixed methods research design was used to collect data from 224 learners with a questionnaire, followed by lesson observations and interviews with six teachers. The results show that the majority of the teachers and learners had great interest in performing animal organ dissections, believing that its use could add value to the solving of specific problems that are related to the Grade 11 Life Sciences curriculum. A few teachers were not keen on animal organ dissection and were reluctant to let their learners dissect and use it in problem-solving. The few learners with reservations about animal organ dissection preferred artificial organs due to a blood phobia and squeamishness. This study supports the development of artificial animal organ dissection as a teaching strategy in support of problem-solving in teaching.
Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills and Writing Skills through the Variation in Non-Traditional Writing Task
Author: Sinaga, Parlindungan
Date: 2017-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Critical Thinking,Thinking Skills,Writing Skills,Skill Development,Content Area Writing,Physics,College Students,Quasiexperimental Design,Pretests Posttests,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Mastery Tests,Scoring Rubrics,Writing Evaluation,Statistical Analysis,Correlation,Outcomes of Education,Mastery Learning,Educational Quality,Foreign Countries

The research aims to identify the impacts of embedding non-traditional writing tasks within the course of modern physics conducted to the students of Physics Education and Physics Study Programs. It employed a quasi-experimental method with the pretest-posttest control group design. The used instruments were tests on conceptual mastery, tests on critical thinking skills, and a rubric of writing assessment. The data were analyzed by determining the percentages of average normalized gains, Cohen's d, and correlational analysis. Based on the results of data analysis, it is found that the different treatments in the non-traditional writing tasks given to the students of the Physics Education and Physics Programs have the following impacts: 1. There was a significant difference in the increased conceptual mastery and critical thinking skills; 2. There was a difference in the writing quality of the students of the Physics Education and Physics Program; 3. There was a correlation between writing quality and conceptual mastery with a high degree relationship and there was a correlation between writing quality and critical thinking skills with a low degree relationship; 4. Increased conceptual understanding was influenced by the writing domain.
The Relationship between Attention Levels and Class Participation of First-Year Students in Classroom Teaching Departments
Author: Sezer, Adem
Date: 2017-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Attention,Student Participation,College Freshmen,Foreign Countries,Measurement Equipment,Video Technology,Correlation,Preservice Teachers,Preservice Teacher Education,Mixed Methods Research

This study aimed to detect any relationship that may exist between classroom teacher candidates' class participation and their attention levels. The research method was a convergent parallel design, mixing quantitative and qualitative research techniques, and the study group was composed of 21 freshmen studying in the Classroom Teaching Department at Usak University, Faculty of Education, in the autumn term of the 2014-2015 academic year. As a data collection instrument, NeuroSky's Mindset EEG equipment was used to detect the students' attention levels, with video-recording being used to detect their class participation. The data obtained were analysed using the PYTHON and MATLAB package programs. The findings showed that, according to the eSense metric, students' level attention was averagely natural (43) as it was stated. The study concluded that there existed a moderate, positive correlation between students' attention levels and class participation.
Using Group Drawings Activities to Facilitate the Understanding of the Systemic Aspects of Projects
Author: Arantes do Amaral, João Alberto
Date: 2017-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Group Activities,Freehand Drawing,Student Projects,Undergraduate Students,Qualitative Research,Group Dynamics,Systems Approach,Retention (Psychology),Creativity,Foreign Countries,Active Learning,Observation,Focus Groups,Business Administration Education,Student Participation,Student Interests,Student Attitudes,Communication Skills,Peer Relationship,Sharing Behavior,Questionnaires

In this article, we present our findings regarding promoting group drawing activities in order to facilitate the learning of systemic aspects of projects. We discuss the approach we used to engage the students and foster learning in our classes. We used group drawing activities in two project management undergraduate courses. The courses, which involved 41 students, took place during the second semester of 2016 in a public university in Brazil. We conducted qualitative research, using qualitative observation and focus group interviews. In order to gauge the effects of the use of this educational technique, we followed the five-phased qualitative analysis method, combined with a systems analysis of the data obtained from observation. Five recurrent themes emerged: 1) Making drawings in groups helps content retention and facilitates connections between the concepts explained by the professor; 2) Making drawings in groups promotes knowledge sharing among team members; 3) Making drawings in group fosters creativity and communication between students; 4) Drawing in groups reduces the students' boredom, makes the lecture more dynamic and interesting; 5) Drawing in groups reinforces bonds between students. Our systems analysis suggests that group drawing improves student participation in classroom activities, strengthens bonds between students, and enhances learning.
Creativity among Geomatical Engineering Students
Author: Keh, Lim Keng
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Engineering Education,Creative Thinking,Thinking Skills,Problem Solving,Comparative Analysis,Statistical Analysis,Geographic Location,Proximity,Undergraduate Students,Geographic Information Systems,Maps,Photography,Foreign Countries

This research aims to find out the creativity among the geomatical engineering students. 96 geomatical engineering students participated in the research. They were divided into 24 groups of 4 students. Each group were asked to solve a real world problem collaboratively with their creative thinking. Their works were collected and then analysed as to compare their creativity based on their fluency, flexibility and originality. The results showed that the students were able to use their creativity and came out with many different methods to solve the problem. The results also showed that the components of creativity namely fluency, flexibility and originality can be used to assess the creativity among the groups of students.
Effect of the SQ4R Technique on the Reading Comprehension of Elementary School 4th Grade Elementary School Students
Author: Basar, Murat
Date: 2017-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Comprehension,Teaching Methods,Elementary School Students,Foreign Countries,Grade 4,Reading Skills,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Comparative Analysis,Reading Tests,Pretests Posttests,Statistical Analysis,Reflection,Questioning Techniques,Review (Reexamination)

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of SQ4R (Survey, Question, Read, Reflect, Recite, Review) technique of the reading comprehension ability of elementary school 4th grade students. The sampling was constituted by 57 students from two different branches of the Ataturk Elementary School in the center of Usak region during the 2nd semester of the 2013-2014 academic year. Reading comprehension skill achievement questions prepared by the researcher and it was used as the data collection tool. These questions were implemented to both groups before the experiment. Independent sample t-test and Kruskal Wallis-test methods were used for data analysis. According to the results of the study, a significant difference was found in the reading comprehension skills in favor of the students who studied reading comprehension with the SQ4R technique.
Elementary School Students' Spoken Activities and Their Responses in Math Learning by Peer-Tutoring
Author: Baiduri
Date: 2017-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Students,Peer Teaching,Mathematics Instruction,Learning Activities,Qualitative Research,Observation,Interviews,Questionnaires,Foreign Countries,Grade 5,Interpersonal Communication,Student Participation

Students' activities in the learning process are very important to indicate the quality of learning process. One of which is spoken activity. This study was intended to analyze the elementary school students' spoken activities and their responses in joining Math learning process by peer-tutoring. Descriptive qualitative design was piloted by means of implementing the qualitative approach and case study. Further, the data were collected from observation, field note, interview, and questionnaire that were administered to 24 fifth-graders of First State Elementary School of Kunjang, Kediri, East Java Indonesia. The design was that four students were recruited as the tutors; while the rest was subdivided into four different groups. The data taken from the observation and questionnaire were analyzed descriptively which were later categorized into various categories starting from poor category to the excellent one. The data collected from the interview were analyzed through the interactive model, data reduction, data exposing, and summation. The findings exhibited that the tutors' spoken activities covering: questioning, answering, explaining, discussing, and presenting, were improved during three meetings and sharply developed in general. In addition, the students' spoken activities that engaged some groups were considered good. Besides, there was a linear and positive interconnectedness between tutors' activity and their groups' activities.