ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Influence of Parental Education and Family Income on Children's Education in Rural Uganda
Author: Drajea, Alice J.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Family Literacy,Family Income,Parent Participation,Parent Influence,Rural Areas,Primary Education,Mixed Methods Research,Ethnography,Semi Structured Interviews,Academic Achievement,Poverty Areas,Educational Attainment,Educational Policy,Parent Child Relationship,Barriers,Illiteracy,Questionnaires,Participant Observation,Rural Urban Differences

This article investigates the effect of parents' literacy levels and family income in Uganda on the quality and nature of parents' involvement in their children's primary education. A mixed-methods study with an ethnographic element was employed to explore the views and opinions of 21 participants through a qualitative approach. Methods for data collection included observation of family routines and practices, semi-structured interviews with parents and children, and review of relevant documents. Vygotsky's socio-cultural historical theory and the Feinsteinian concept of intergenerational transmission of educational success offer the basis for the investigation. Findings indicated a significant relationship between parents' income and literacy levels and the quality of support to their children's education. Household poverty emerged as a major obstacle to educational success for children across the three socio-economic categories of family studied. Compromised lack of time for parent-child interaction proved to be the main obstacle as parents spent significant hours in non-academic matters for the day-to-day survival of their families. Parental illiteracy showed negative associations with children's literacy competence and subsequent success in primary school.
Two Perspectives on Inclusion in the United States
Author: Dudley-Marling, Curt
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Inclusion,Constructivism (Learning),Accessibility (for Disabled),Attitudes toward Disabilities,Educational Policy,Special Education,Educational Principles,Program Implementation,Disadvantaged,Educational Change,Educational Practices,Politics of Education,Educational Attitudes

The history of schooling for students with disabilities in the United States is marked by exclusion and, until the passage of the &quot;Education for All Children Act&quot; in the 1970s, a substantial number of students with disabilities were denied free public education and many more were poorly served by public schools. The requirement that all children be educated in the &quot;least restrictive environment&quot; gradually allowed many students with disabilities to be educated alongside their non-disabled peers and today a majority of students with disabilities spend more than 80% of their school days in regular classroom settings. Still, the meaning of inclusion is bitterly disputed fueled in large part by two contrasting views of disability. This paper discusses these two views--a deficit stance and a social constructivist perspective--and the effects of these views on the meaning of inclusion, the purpose of inclusion, and how inclusive education is achieved.
Lessons Learned in Designing and Implementing a Computer-Adaptive Test for English
Author: Burston, Jack
Date: 2014-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Second Language Learning,Computer Assisted Instruction,Computer Assisted Testing,Test Construction,Student Placement,Language Teachers,Multimedia Materials,Databases,Difficulty Level,Foreign Countries

This paper describes the lessons learned in designing and implementing a computer-adaptive test (CAT) for English. The early identification of students with weak L2 English proficiency is of critical importance in university settings that have compulsory English language course graduation requirements. The most efficient means of diagnosing the L2 English ability of incoming students is by means of a computer-based test since such evaluation can be administered quickly, automatically corrected, and the outcome known as soon as the test is completed. While the option of using a commercial CAT is available to institutions with the ability to pay substantial annual fees, or the means of passing these expenses on to their students, language instructors without these resources can only avail themselves of the advantages of CAT evaluation by creating their own tests. As is demonstrated by the E-CAT project described in this paper, this is a viable alternative even for those lacking any computer programing expertise. However, language teaching experience and testing expertise are critical to such an undertaking, which requires considerable effort and, above all, collaborative teamwork to succeed. A number of practical skills are also required. Firstly, the operation of a CAT authoring programme must be learned. Once this is done, test makers must master the art of creating a question database and assigning difficulty levels to test items. Lastly, if multimedia resources are to be exploited in a CAT, test creators need to be able to locate suitable copyright-free resources and re-edit them as needed.
Expert Views on How Language Education May Develop in the Next 20 Years and What CALL Could Contribute
Author: Koenraad, Ton
Date: 2014-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Second Language Instruction,Interviews,Secondary School Teachers,College Faculty,Educational Environment,Educational Technology,Computer Assisted Instruction,Teacher Attitudes,Educational Trends,Prediction,Language Teachers

The celebration of EUROCALL's twentieth anniversary provides a proper occasion to reflect on the future of language teaching and the role of CALL in these developments. In this paper we present the views of six authorities on language teaching and learning from different EU countries. All of them have a special interest in CALL and/or are CALL experts and well respected EUROCALL members, such as the late Graham Davies. We present a selection of their observations based on a summary of the Skype interviews in which they contributed to a symposium entitled &quot;And now for another century of modern language teaching…&quot; organised by the Dutch national Association of Language Teachers on the occasion of its first centennial in 2011. To provide a more global (or at least European) perspective, the interviewees were asked to cover the same topics that were central to the live panel discussion delivered by six Dutch participants representing a variety of perspectives: secondary and university teachers, students, curriculum experts and teacher educators. By way of preparation, all involved had been given a number of challenging statements related to some aspects of the discussion theme: the characteristics of the future learning environment, teacher, learner, pedagogy and technology. In this audio-supported document we will focus on interesting points of view particularly related to pedagogy and technology expressed in the interviews. A video report summary of the live discussion (in Dutch) is available on the limited CD edition with recordings of the centennial festivities. For an impression of the panel discussion and other symposium activities see this video report on YouTube.
A Perspective of Inclusion: Challenges for the Future
Author: Braunsteiner, Maria-Luise
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Inclusion,Barriers,Performance Factors,Educational Practices,Educational Change,Cultural Pluralism,Access to Education,Preservice Teachers,Resistance to Change,Models,Democratic Values,Educational Planning,Trend Analysis,Teacher Competencies,Elementary Secondary Education,Accessibility (for Disabled)

The term, &quot;inclusion,&quot; particularly in the educational setting, is still based on a deficit view. Perceptions of &quot;dis&quot;-ability create barriers to true inclusion and are often reinforced through higher education training programs. To promote inclusive values, acceptance of individual and cultural differences must be included in all curricula, not solely within special education. The future of a truly inclusive education relies on a cultural shift that supports and nurtures differences, and views success through a lens not focused on standardization but on diversity. The Index for Inclusion (The Index) has been utilized worldwide to support schools, to remove perceived barriers and to establish increasingly inclusive school cultures and practices. The Index aids in the creation of a culture that is dedicated to identifying and reducing barriers to inclusion and increases the learning and participation for all students.
It Takes Two to Tango: Inclusive Schooling in Hong Kong
Author: Greenberg, Jeremy H.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Inclusion,Regular and Special Education Relationship,Autism,Mainstreaming,Educational History,Educational Methods,Models,Special Education,Disabilities,Barriers,Special Schools,Educational Practices

The inclusion of students with autism and other special needs into the general education curriculum continues to be a challenging process for school communities in the United States of America (US) and, increasingly, abroad. Although inclusion continues to be a challenging process for those involved, the global demand is growing. Traditionally, this initiative has originated from advocates such as parents and communities who represent the students. With enough pressure from constituents of the system, those efforts may be converted into policy through the local education department. The US has led the inclusion movement and many other developed nations have followed suit in recent decades. Consequently, more and more schools are focused on building inclusive school communities. These programs see the value of a balanced approach that emphasizes curriculum coupled with pedagogy. This paper provides an overview of the history of the inclusion movement in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China. Three main types of school systems in the region are explained, and one successful inclusive school model will be described with outcome data included. Multiple factors that affect the development of the inclusion movement will also be discussed.
Barriers to Student Success in Madagascar
Author: Wills, Abigail R.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Success,Barriers,Case Studies,Articulation (Education),Semi Structured Interviews,Class Size,Teacher Surveys,Teacher Attitudes,Science Teachers,Mathematics Teachers,Educational Resources,School Entrance Age,Grade Repetition,Language of Instruction,Rural Urban Differences,Teacher Qualifications,Teaching Experience,Institutional Characteristics,Science Achievement,Mathematics Achievement,Elementary Secondary Education,College Science,Regression (Statistics)

Various indicators suggest that math and science students in many developing countries are lagging behind their counterparts in other nations. Using Madagascar as a case study, we aimed to: (1) evaluate the effectiveness of education among those enrolled in science and math programs at primary, secondary, and university institutions; and, (2) understand barriers to student progression through the education system. To that end we conducted 63 semi-structured interviews in June and August 2012 with science and math teachers in five population centers, across all three levels of both public and private school systems. We found that crowded classes, limited resources (pedagogical and infrastructural), an average student range in age of seven years per classroom (suggestive of grade repetition and/or late school starting age), and discontinuities in the language of instruction explain why teachers estimated that almost 25 percent of their students would not finish school. Although most secondary and university teachers taught the sciences only in French, they estimated that just one-third of students could fully understand the language. There were also urban-rural and publicprivate disparities. Teachers in urban areas were significantly more likely to teach using French than their rural counterparts, while public schools also housed significantly larger classes than private institutions. While resource equalization will help to resolve many of these disparities, improved early training in French and increased local autonomy in designing appropriate curricula will be necessary to tackle other shortfalls.
Situating Disability within Comparative Education: A Review of the Literature
Author: Brown, Alisha M. B.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Disabilities,Inclusion,Educational Research,Comparative Education,Literature Reviews,Content Analysis,Journal Articles,Incidence

This paper is an inquiry into where the topic of disability falls within the vast field of comparative education research. It explores the extent to which disability is present in comparative education literature, and in what ways it is represented. A review of literature across the core comparative education peer-reviewed journals was conducted. Findings show that a limited number of studies in comparative education have examined students with disabilities, but numbers have increased in recent years. Additionally, two major themes emerged from the literature: (1) social interpretations of disability, and (2) global versus local. The findings are discussed in terms of implications for inclusive education and future research.
Core Values as the Basis for Teacher Education for Inclusion
Author: Watkins, Amanda
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Teacher Education,Inclusion,Educational Policy,Values,Educational Change,Teacher Competencies,Agencies

Teacher education issues are high on the policy agenda across Europe. &quot;The United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities&quot; (2006) is gaining momentum and providing a lever for change. Article 24 covers many aspects of education and the UN Handbook for Parliamentarians on the Convention argues that inclusive education not only provides the best educational environment for learners with disabilities, but also helps break down barriers and challenge stereotypes. This paper outlines the current policy agenda for Teacher Education for Inclusion in Europe and considers the core values necessary for teachers to work effectively in inclusive education. The paper draws upon the European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education project on Teacher Education for Inclusion (TE4I -http://www.european-agency.org/agency-projects/Teacher-Education-for-Inclusion) and on evidence gathered from discussions with over 450 European stakeholders in education--policy makers, school leaders, teachers, support staff, parents and learners. These stakeholders, over a series of 14 country study visits, highlighted the importance of the core values as the foundation for all teachers working in inclusive education. Within the Agency project a framework of core values was developed. These core values for inclusive education were linked with essential areas of teacher competence. The process of verification used to validate a final framework of core values and areas of competence at the European level is described in this paper.
Sustainability in CALL Learning Environments: A Systemic Functional Grammar Approach
Author: McDonald, Peter
Date: 2014-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Assisted Instruction,Grammar,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Educational Change,Sustainability,Language Research,Linguistics,Instructional Innovation,Models,Comparative Analysis,Text Structure,News Reporting,Multimedia Materials

This research aims to define a sustainable resource in Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL). In order for a CALL resource to be sustainable it must work within existing educational curricula. This feature is a necessary prerequisite of sustainability because, despite the potential for educational change that digitalization has offered since the nineteen nineties, curricula in traditional educational institutions have not fundamentally changed, even as we move from a pre-digital society towards a digital society. Curricula have failed to incorporate CALL resources because no agreed-upon pedagogical language enables teachers to discuss CALL classroom practices. Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG) can help to provide this language and bridge the gap between the needs of the curriculum and the potentiality of CALL-based resources. This paper will outline how SFG principles can be used to create a pedagogical language for CALL and it will give practical examples of how this language can be used to create sustainable resources in classroom contexts.
How EFL Students Can Use Google to Correct Their &quot;Untreatable&quot; Written Errors
Author: Geiller, Luc
Date: 2014-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Feedback (Response),Error Correction,Verbs,Morphemes,French,Native Language,College Students,Accuracy,Web Sites,Written Language,Form Classes (Languages),Metalinguistics,Independent Study,Guidelines,Essays,Second Language Instruction,Search Engines,Foreign Countries,College Preparation,Business Administration Education,Selective Admission,Questionnaires

This paper presents the findings of an experiment in which a group of 17 French post-secondary EFL learners used Google to self-correct several &quot;untreatable&quot; written errors. Whether or not error correction leads to improved writing has been much debated, some researchers dismissing it is as useless and others arguing that error feedback leads to more grammatical accuracy. In her response to Truscott (1996), Ferris (1999) explains that it would be unreasonable to abolish correction given the present state of knowledge, and that further research needed to focus on which types of errors were more amenable to which types of error correction. In her attempt to respond more effectively to her students' errors, she made the distinction between &quot;treatable&quot; and &quot;untreatable&quot; ones: the former occur in &quot;a patterned, rule-governed way&quot; and include problems with verb tense or form, subject-verb agreement, run-ons, noun endings, articles, pronouns, while the latter include a variety of lexical errors, problems with word order and sentence structure, including missing and unnecessary words. Substantial research on the use of search engines as a tool for L2 learners has been carried out suggesting that the web plays an important role in fostering language awareness and learner autonomy (e.g. Shei 2008a, 2008b; Conroy 2010). According to Bathia and Richie (2009: 547), &quot;the application of Google for language learning has just begun to be tapped.&quot; Within the framework of this study it was assumed that the students, conversant with digital technologies and using Google and the web on a regular basis, could use various search options and the search results to self-correct their errors instead of relying on their teacher to provide direct feedback. After receiving some in-class training on how to formulate Google queries, the students were asked to use a customized Google search engine limiting searches to 28 information websites to correct up to ten &quot;untreatable&quot; errors occurring in two essays completed in class. The findings indicate that a majority of students successfully use material from the various snippets of texts appearing on the Google results pages to improve their writing.
International STEM Achievement: Not a Zero-Sum Game
Author: Heilbronner, Nancy N.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: STEM Education,Academic Achievement,Science Achievement,Correlation,Creativity,Productivity,Science Tests,Mathematics Tests,Doctoral Degrees,Global Approach,Trend Analysis,Research and Development,Intellectual Property,Quality of Life

Nancy N. Heilbronner, the associate dean for academic affairs at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, New York, lectures internationally on topics related to gifted and science education. In this article she writes that we have not fully come to terms with two influential factors that will likely impact future STEM outcomes across the planet: (1) changes in which nations are the most productive in STEM; and (2) the extreme influence of poverty on both educational achievement and productivity. To emphasize the crushing impact of poverty on the planet she asks: What if the next great thinker struggles to find food and shelter in a deeply impoverished country? What if he or she has never attended a day of school? What is the extent of this loss to the child? To our world? To aid in the understanding of these issues, Heilbronner suggests that it may be helpful to consider the following questions: (1) What do we know about STEM &quot;educational achievement&quot; internationally; and (2) What do we know about STEM post-graduate &quot;creative productivity&quot; internationally? Keeping those things in mind, Heilbronner argues that we should begin to consider global achievement rather than national achievement in order to prepare all of the world's students to take their places in a changing global STEM landscape. Increasing STEM productivity for one nation does not necessarily take away from another nation, but rather raising the level for everyone becomes a win-win situation. Heilbronner proposes that education need not be a zero-sum game, and during the coming decades, policymakers must come to terms with the stark reality that for their citizens to prosper, they must show concern for all of the world's children.
Constructing an Evidence-Base for Future CALL Design with &quot;Engineering Power&quot;: The Need for More Basic Research and Instrumental Replication
Author: Handley, Zöe
Date: 2014-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Instruction,Second Language Learning,Computer Assisted Instruction,Computer Software,Measures (Individuals),Language Research,Educational Environment,Research Methodology,Replication (Evaluation),Evidence,Databases

This paper argues that the goal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) research should be to construct a reliable evidence-base with &quot;engineering power&quot; and generality upon which the design of future CALL software and activities can be based. In order to establish such an evidence base for future CALL design, it suggests that CALL research needs to move away from CALL versus non-CALL comparisons, and focus on investigating the differential impact of individual attributes and affordances, that is, specific features of a technology which might have an impact on learning. Further, in order to help researchers find possible explanations for the success or failure of CALL interventions and make appropriate adjustments to their design, it argues that these studies should be conducted within the framework of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) theory and research. Despite this, a recent review of research examining the effectiveness of CALL in primary and secondary English as a Foreign Language (EFL) found that CALL vs. non-CALL comparisons are still common and studies focusing on individual coding elements are rare. Further, few studies make links with SLA and few measure linguistic outcomes using measures developed in the field of SLA. One reason for this may be poor reporting of methods and difficulty in obtaining the instruments used in SLA research. Reporting guidelines and the use of the IRIS database (www.iris-databse.org) are introduced as possible solutions to these problems.