ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Human Trafficking and Education: A Qualitative Case Study of Two NGO Programs in Thailand
Author: Spires, Robert Weber
Date: 2012-05-00
Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Subjects: Children,Social Environment,Foreign Countries,Nongovernmental Organizations,Poverty,Adolescents,Risk,At Risk Persons,Undocumented Immigrants,Homeless People,Vocational Education,Migration,Nonformal Education,Slavery,Business,Crime,Victims,Females,Child Labor,Residential Institutions,Interviews,Emergency Shelters,Mixed Methods Research

In this qualitative, ethnographic case study, I examine two Thai NGO shelters/schools working with human trafficking survivors and at-risk populations of children ages 5-18. The two NGOs had a residential component, meaning that children live at the shelter, and an educational component, meaning that children are taught academic and vocational skills. Education is a key intervention in the mission of both NGOs, and education is treated as a means of preventing human trafficking and protecting human trafficking survivors from returning to exploitative situations. The controversial definition of human trafficking and the continuum of vulnerability between at-risk populations and human trafficking victims are discussed. I explored the issues of statelessness and poverty through interviews with students, teachers and staff at the NGOs. I conducted observations in the NGO settings and in the broader Thai context by using ethnographic field notes. I described changes at the NGOs over time through a detailed account of specific aspects of the NGOs. I discussed NGO efforts to reduce the vulnerability of children, and the barriers that both children and NGOs face in vulnerability reduction efforts. Findings reflected the complex and multifaceted nature of vulnerability to human trafficking and other forms of exploitation for children in Southeast Asia. Finally, I discussed the interconnectedness of global issues of migration, statelessness, poverty within the local social context. The following are appended: (1) Pilot Study Report; (2) Photo-reference Index; (3) Interview Guides for the Dissertation Study; (4) Permission Forms for the Dissertation Study; (5) Letter of Consent from Mahidol University, Bangkok Thailand; (6) Letter of permission from NRCT to Conduct Dissertation Research; (7) Letter of Permission to Conduct Research at DEPDC; (8) Letter of Permission to Conduct Pilot Study Research; (9) IRB Continuing Review Amendment; and (10) IRB Application. (Contains 3 tables and 19 figures.)
Unfulfilled Promise: The Dimensions and Characteristics of Philadelphia's Dropout Crisis, 2000-2005
Author: Neild, Ruth Curran
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Dropouts,High School Students,High School Freshmen,Transfer Students,Public Schools,Urban Schools,Dropout Rate,Graduation Rate,Achievement Gap,Racial Differences,Gender Differences,Neighborhoods,Dropout Characteristics,At Risk Students,Predictor Variables,Learner Engagement,Cohort Analysis,African American Students,Asian American Students,Hispanic American Students,White Students

This report uses a unique set of data obtained from the Kids Integrated Data System (KIDS), which is housed at the University of Pennsylvania's Cartographic Modeling Laboratory. The KIDS system merges individual-level data on young people from the School District of Philadelphia and the city's social service agencies, including the Department of Public Health, the Department of Human Services, and the Office of Emergency Shelter and Services. The resulting de-identified data allow the authors to follow cohorts of students over multiple years, examining their educational outcomes as well as the predictors of graduation and dropout. This report addresses three central sets of questions: (1) How many students in grades 6 through 12 drop out of Philadelphia's public schools in a single year? What are the key characteristics of these students, including their age, grade, race/ethnicity, gender, type of school attended, and neighborhood of residence?; (2) What percentage of 9th graders graduates within four years, five years, or six years of starting high school? What has been the trend in these cohort graduation rates over the past 5 years? What are the trends in cohort graduation rates for males and females and for students of different racial/ethnic backgrounds?; and (3) Which student characteristics, knowable or potentially knowable by school personnel and agency staff, can identify students as being at high risk of dropping out of high school? A clearer and deeper understanding of who drops out and who graduates in Philadelphia shows that in order to solve the dropout crisis in Philadelphia four policy challenges will need to be overcome. First, a broad-based coalition needs to be mobilized to meet the challenge and this coalition must be able to sustain itself for the long term. Second, a sustained effort to end Philadelphia's dropout crisis will require profound changes in how adolescents who live in the city's high poverty neighborhoods are educated. Third, even the most effective school-based reforms will not prevent all students from dropping out of school. Finally, the agencies that provide social services to the city's youth need to be deeply involved in the effort to stop the dropout crisis in Philadelphia. Appended are: (1) Defining Dropout; and (2) Comparing Graduation Rate Estimates. (Contains 18 tables, 14 figures and 28 endnotes.)
The Impact of English Interactive Online on the Students' Achievement in English Language in Jordan
Author: Mubaslat, Mania Moayad
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Electronic Learning,Distance Education,Online Courses,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Teaching Methods,Internet,Educational Technology,Program Effectiveness,Grade 7,Grade 8,Grade 9,Second Language Instruction

Over the last decade there has been an augmenting shift away from the conventional teaching and learning to modes where the Internet now plays a key role. E-learning is increasingly forming an integral part of course delivery and instruction, and is reshaping traditional learning worldwide. This paper outlines the shift from traditional learning to online learning practices. Then it discusses the use of technology, particularly English Interactive online, to support and enhance effective learning. It considers relevant studies within the context of technology based learning, and highlights the effectiveness of the EIO program in Grades 7,8,9 in 100 discovery public schools at Amman Directorates in Jordan. The paper indicates that technology based pedagogy and an effective online learning environment are crucial to support and enrich effective EFL learning outcomes.
2012-13 Operating Grants: Too Little to Offset District Budget Shortfalls. BCTF Research Report. Section V. 2012-EF-01
Author: White, Margaret
Date: 2012-03-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Grants,Educational Change,Funding Formulas,Declining Enrollment,Resource Allocation,Finance Reform,Operating Expenses,Financial Problems,Economic Impact,Financial Policy,Educational Policy,Budgeting,Research Reports,Evaluation Needs,Educational Finance

The BC Ministry of Education announcement about 2012-13 operating grants estimates includes &quot;new&quot; funding to districts of $11.2 million for vulnerable students, $10.7 million for districts to implement elements of the Education Plan, and $21.8 million to address &quot;districts' differing geographic circumstances.&quot; This makes for a total of $43.7 million in &quot;new&quot; funding for these supplements, yet 2012-13 operating grants estimates increase by only $4 million, from $4.721 billion in 2011-12 to $4.725 billion in 2012-13. This suggests that most of the &quot;new&quot; funding is actually a shift of funding between categories within the funding formula. While increased funding for vulnerable students is welcome and essential, the benefits arising from this funding should be evaluated in the context of the adverse effects of budget shortfalls on students as a result of cuts to programs and services in other areas. For example, in an effort to deal with an anticipated shortfall of $8 to $8.5 million in 2012-13, the Vancouver School Board hired Price-waterhouseCoopers (PwC) to identify areas of cost-savings, some of which, if implemented, could directly affect vulnerable students, such as changes in reimbursement criteria for bus fare and changes in school cafeterias providing meals to students in need. What is needed to address the funding crisis in BC public schools? What is needed is an assessment of the overall impact of funding policies on students and families, weighing the benefits of these newly-announced funding initiatives against the adverse impact of cutbacks arising from district budget shortfalls such as school closures, staff layoffs, larger classes, and loss of educational programs and services. (Contains 12 footnotes.)
Beating the Odds: A Low Equalized Assessed Valuation Elementary School with High Standardized Test Scores
Author: Levin, Brian
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Subjects: Elementary Schools,School Effectiveness,Standardized Tests,Scores,Academic Achievement,Elementary School Students,Poverty,School Community Relationship,Parent School Relationship,Instructional Leadership,Alignment (Education),Educational Environment,Educational Cooperation,Expectation,Faculty Development,Institutional Characteristics,Elementary School Teachers,Questionnaires,Interviews,Meta Analysis,Mixed Methods Research

This mixed methods study examines what makes Bluffview Elementary School a success as measured by the ISAT, the mandated state test of Illinois. Despite national reports of achievement gaps and low test scores, Bluffview Elementary has shown sustained success in educating children. This paper reviews how Bluffview Elementary students are achieving success, and what similarities exist among other highly successful, low equalized assessed valuation (EAV) schools. This study utilized a meta-analysis from more than 20 studies reviewing successful schools to first identify which characteristics contribute to the success of a low EAV school. The studies, most of which examined elementary schools, focused on schools with students who achieved at higher levels than their demographics would predict. This study mixed qualitative and quantitative methods to establish if a relationship existed between the characteristics of successful schools discovered in the review of literature and the characteristics that made Bluffview Elementary students achieve. The quantitative part examined one year of data provided from 1,078 K-5 and K-6 Elementary Schools in Illinois to establish if EAV can be used as a predictor of student success on the ISAT. At the time of this writing, Bluffview was currently scoring 10.6 points better than expected on the ISAT based on the district's EAV of $62,035 for the 2008-2009 school year. Bluffview students achieve in the upper 75th percentile of elementary schools in Illinois while being in the lower 25th percentile of EAV in the state. What makes Bluffview successful is similar to the characteristics evident in the literature review, with the exception of parent and community support. Although much literature claimed parent and community support as one of the most common characteristics of successful schools, Bluffview Elementary is able to succeed with limited support from parents and community. Teacher questionnaire responses and interviews demonstrated that a clear vision is apparent in the school, the standards and expectations for students and staff are high, and professional development is focused. The evidence supports that the key reason for Bluffview's success is the care and dedication the teachers have for the students at Bluffview Elementary. The following are appended: (1) Staff Questionnaire of School Characteristics; and (2) Random Schools Used for Pearson Calculation. (Contains 10 tables and 8 figures.)
BC International Student Revenue Grows Again. BCTF Research Report. Section V. 2012-EF-02
Author: Kuehn, Larry
Date: 2011-01-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Educational Finance,School Districts,Income,Elementary Secondary Education,Foreign Students,Tuition,Research Reports,School Statistics,Statistical Data,Statistical Distributions,Enrollment Rate,Enrollment Trends,Enrollment Management

After two years of decline, the tuition from international students increased in 2010-11 and reached more than $129 million. The revenue from international students has more than doubled in a decade, from $55.5 million in 2001-02. This revenue is the most significant source of funding for K-12 education in BC outside of direct grants from the provincial government. While not all the resources from this tuition go directly into education services, school districts reported in 2010-11 that a total of 381 teaching positions exist as a result of international students being in the school system. The number of international students in grades K-12 in 2010-11 was reported at 8,812. International tuition is a source of significant inequities among school districts. Some boards in the Metro Vancouver and South Island areas receive significant supplements from international students, while many small and rural areas receive none. Appended are: (1) &quot;Staff by year and program code: Off-shore students 2010/11&quot;; (2) Total Full-time equivalent (FTE) by Grade-Secondary. &quot;Student Statistics--2011/12 Province--Public and Independent Schools Combined&quot;; and (3) &quot;BC off-shore tuition-fee revenue, 2010-11&quot;. (Contains 7 footnotes.)
Poverty and Education: A Teacher's Perspective--Summary of the Findings of the Focus Group Research. BCTF Research Report. Section V. 2012-EI-01
Author: White, Margaret
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Academic Achievement,Social Justice,School Activities,Foreign Countries,Income,Poverty,Focus Groups,Teacher Attitudes,Elementary School Teachers,Middle School Teachers,Achievement Gap,Educational Environment,Questionnaires,Elementary School Students,Middle School Students

In 2009, 100,000 children in British Columbia (BC) lived in families who have incomes below the after-tax poverty line, with BC having the highest child poverty rate in Canada (First Call, 2011). Income inequality is also increasing among BC families (First Call, 2010), a trend that has emerged in Canada and the United States. This report provides a summary of the main themes that were identified in the analysis of the focus group data on teacher perceptions of: (1) how poverty affects student learning and participation in school activities, (2) challenges encountered and strategies used to support students to overcome educational barriers related to poverty and (3) recommendations for what is needed in the classroom, school, and community to support low-income students and their families to overcome educational barriers related to poverty. The report concludes with a brief summary of actions taken by the social justice teachers involved in the research, after the focus groups were completed. (Contains 7 tables and 4 footnotes.) [This paper was prepared through collaboration with Ilse Hill, Stacey Kemp, Julia MacRae, and Linda Young.]
Education Funding: A Brief to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services from the British Columbia Teachers' Federation
Author: British Columbia Teachers' Federation (BCTF) (Canada)
Date: 2012-10-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Educational Finance,Foreign Countries,Special Needs Students,Second Language Learning,Public Education,English Language Learners,Expenditure per Student,Enrollment,Operating Expenses,Specialists,Teachers,Indigenous Populations,Taxes,Teacher Student Ratio,Faculty,Full Time Equivalency,Elementary Secondary Education

Students in British Columbia are being shortchanged in comparison to students elsewhere in Canada. The teachers of BC are urgently appealing to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services to recommend to government sufficient increases in education funding to reverse this situation and provide more educational services to BC students. The British Columbia Teachers' Federation (BCTF) researchers believe these services are vitally important to the students in school now and to the social and economic health of the province in the longer term. In this brief, they will identify how the situation in BC compares to other provinces, and why the government should, as a start, adopt a plan to bring BC's education funding and services up to at the very least the average in Canada. BC is below the Canadian average in improvements to education funding. This is a situation that should not exist in a province endowed with such natural wealth and human potential. Appended are: (1) Per-student operating expenditures in BC and Canada, 2005-06 and 2009-10; (2) Other provinces increased support for students (FTE educators) during enrolment decline; (3) BC falls behind in K to 12 education spending as a percentage of GDP; (4) More students with special needs despite declines in total student enrolment (without Gifted); (5) Loss of specialist teachers; (6) Increase in English Language Learners (ELL); (7) Growth in Aboriginal student population; (8) What if BC increased operating expenditures (current dollars) by the same percentage as Canada between 2005-06 and 2009-10?; (9) What if BC spent the same percentage of GDP on public schools as Canada in 2009-10?; (10) What if BC achieved the same student-educator ratio as Canada in 2009-10?; and (11) BC taxation policies erode funding for public education. (Contains 10 tables, 5 charts, and 6 footnotes.)
International Students in BC, 2011-12. BCTF Research Report. Section V. 2012-EF-03
Author: Kuehn, Larry
Date: 2012-12-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Income,Foreign Students,Tuition,Research Reports,Resource Allocation,Educational Finance,Geographic Distribution,Statistical Distributions,Regional Characteristics,Enrollment Rate,Enrollment Trends,Enrollment Management

Tuition revenue from overseas students increased by over $9 million dollars in 2011-12 over the previous year. It reached a record amount of $138,848,821. The increased revenue reflects an increase of nearly 500 international students, reaching a total of 9,281.1 (FTE). However, the patterns of inequality continue to be reinforced, because most of the students study in Metro Vancouver, the Okanagan, and Vancouver Island, and those are the areas which experienced increased revenue. Smaller districts in the Interior and the North tend to get very few international students. They not only lose out on revenues, but also the diversity that international students can bring to a school. Coquitlam continued to claim the most revenue of any district, although it dropped nearly a half million to $14.9 million. Burnaby and Richmond were the big gainers, with each bringing in about $2 million more than the previous year. North Vancouver dropped by $0.6 million, while neighbouring West Vancouver gained by nearly that amount. School districts charge more in tuition for each international student than they get from the province for each Canadian student. Each board decides how the funding will be used; no provincial guidelines exist. How the funds are used varies substantially from district to district, and even within districts. Some schools get a significant portion of the extra revenue to support school activities. Some classrooms get extra resources if there is an international student in the class. In other cases, the district uses all or nearly all the amounts on a district basis. Reports from teachers indicate that little specialized ESL is assigned to international students.
Turbulence, Perturbance, and Educational Change
Author: Beabout, Brian R.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Change,Institutional Environment,Educational Practices,Performance Factors,Influences,Definitions,Educational Theories,Change Strategies,Organizational Climate,Organizational Culture,Organizational Theories,Group Dynamics,Politics of Education,Educational Policy,Educational Principles

While scholarship on educational change has long accepted that disruptions to the status quo are an essential part of the change process, disruption has never been more central to planned change than it is in the current political context in the USA, where legislation has mandated school closure, reconstitution, and turnaround as required remedies for schools failing to produce annual student achievement gains required by government. We are also unfortunately hampered by the imprecise language that surrounds complexity- based theories of educational change. Words such as perturbance, turbulence, and disruption all have gained currency lately, but meanings are unclear and overlapping. This essay seeks to lend some clarity to the debate by defining turbulence as the perception of forces in an organizational environment with the potential to disrupt current modes of operation. This is distinguished from perturbance which is defined as the social process of actors coming together to adjust organizational practice to fit with the changing environmental context. The case is argued that sensible reformers ought to be fostering perturbance while minimizing the harmful consequences of excessive turbulence. (Contains 1 footnote.)
Epistemic Sensibility: Third Dimension of Virtue Epistemology
Author: Belbase, Shashidhar
Date: 2012-12-18
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Moral Values,Epistemology,Attitudes,Reliability,Credibility,Educational Philosophy

The author tries to argue how epistemic sensibility as virtue sensibility can complement virtue epistemology. Many philosophers interrelated virtue reliabilism (e.g., Brogaard, 2006) and virtue responsibilism (e.g., Code, 1987) to virtue epistemology as two dimensions with many diverging and a few converging characters. The possible new dimension of virtue epistemology, epistemic sensibility, has been completely ignored in the literature. The overlapping relationship among virtue reliabilism, virtue responsibilism, and virtue sensibilism can form a common ground for virtue epistemology. I outlined some essences of epistemic sensibility- pervasive attitude in society, gate keeping contextualism, identification of new items, unreflective consciousness, judgment of moral beliefs, epistemic reliability and trustworthiness, and pedagogical and cognitive disequilibrium. Virtue sensibilism may complement other two dimensions in a meaningful way to the study of virtue epistemology in terms of ontology, epistemology, methodology, axiology, and metaphysics. The act of bridging and debridging of these three dimensions helps us to develop a broader understanding of virtue epistemology.
State Action 5: Role-Based, Timely Access to Information for Authorized Stakeholders. State Actions to Change the Culture around Data--from Building to Using Data
Author: Data Quality Campaign
Date: 2010-06-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Access to Information,Stakeholders,State Action,Systems Building,Evaluation Utilization,Information Utilization,Research Utilization,Best Practices,Educational Practices,Management Information Systems,Information Management,Educational Improvement,Improvement Programs,Change Strategies,Organizational Change

Data are only useful if people are able to access, understand and use them. Without access to the right information, stakeholders are forced to make decisions based on anecdote, experience or instinct. For information to be useful, it must be timely, readily available, and easy to understand. This brief highlights the importance of implementing systems to provide all stakeholders timely access to information and gives an overview of two promising state practices, Arkansas and Colorado. Examples from Colorado are appended.