ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
What Predicts Teachers' Acceptance of Students with Special Educational Needs in Kindergarten?
Author: Lee, Frances Lai Mui
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Inclusion,Teacher Attitudes,Attitudes toward Disabilities,Special Education Teachers,Kindergarten,Regular and Special Education Relationship,Females,Teacher Surveys,Educational Policy,Knowledge Level,Self Efficacy,Teacher Competencies,Resistance to Change,Factor Analysis,Structural Equation Models,Predictor Variables,Advocacy,Foreign Countries

Despite attempts of educators and policy makers in promoting inclusive education through training and provision of extra resources, it remains unclear what is the most influential factor that may reduce teachers' resistance to and increase their advocacy of inclusive education. Teachers who have been trained in special education are usually expected to be more accepting of inclusive education. With training, kindergarten teachers would probably be more positive about placing students with special educational needs in regular settings with students without special educational needs. Trained kindergarten teachers in Hong Kong (N = 275, all female) were surveyed on three factors (their knowledge about policies regarding inclusive education, efficacy in teaching in inclusive settings, and government initiatives) that might influence two outcomes of advocacy (their resistance to inclusive education or endorsement of the inclusion of students with special educational needs). Confirmatory factor analysis defined the five distinct factors. Structural equation modelling found that of the three predictors, teachers' sense of efficacy was the strongest predictor of both advocacy outcomes. The findings imply that increasing teachers' knowledge through training or providing teachers with more resources may not be sufficient to increase teachers' advocacy of inclusive education. Instead, to better promote inclusive education, teacher education and governmental support should focus more on building teachers' efficacy in inclusive settings
What Good Teachers Do to Promote Effective Student Learning in a Problem-Based Learning Environment
Author: Goh, Karen
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Teacher Effectiveness,Teacher Characteristics,Problem Based Learning,Critical Thinking,Cooperative Learning,Independent Study,Grounded Theory,Questioning Techniques,Goal Orientation,College Students,College Faculty,Video Technology,Teacher Role,Educational Environment,Academic Achievement

This qualitative study examines the attributes of effective teachers in a problem-based learning (PBL) classroom, specifically in a polytechnic context in Singapore. The educational beliefs, approaches and strategies of a group of PBL facilitators who have received teaching awards are examined to understand how critical thinking, collaborative and self-directed learning are promoted in a PBL environment. Data from classroom videos, teaching portfolios, student feedback, and certification feedback letters of 12 award recipients are analysed and coded using the constant comparative method to identify common themes in facilitation attributes and actions. Findings reveal three themes influencing the quality of teaching and learning in the PBL classroom: [1] questioning techniques of facilitators; [2] timeliness of facilitator response; and [3] facilitator awareness of unique learning goals and situations. The result of this study suggests that staff development programmes in PBL settings should focus on creating opportunities for reflection on practice, guided practice through feedback, and clearer articulation of standards and exemplars of good facilitation as resources for peer learning.
Seeding Science Success: Psychometric Properties of Secondary Science Questionnaire on Students' Self-Concept, Motivation, and Aspirations
Author: Chandrasena, Wanasinghe
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Secondary School Students,Questionnaires,Psychometrics,Self Concept,Student Motivation,Aspiration,Scientific Attitudes,Statistical Analysis,Factor Analysis,Test Reliability,Test Validity,Goodness of Fit,Correlation,Biology,Chemistry,Earth Science,Physics

Every sphere of life has been revolutionised by science. Thus, science understanding is an increasingly precious resource throughout the world. Despite the widely recognised need for better science education, the percentage of school students studying science is particularly low, and the numbers of students pursuing science continue to decline internationally. This study establishes a new measure to investigate students' science self-concepts, motivation, and aspirations. The instrument shows sound psychometric properties in investigating secondary students' science self-concepts in different disciplines of science. Though available data show that students' science self-concepts are domain specific, it could not be shown that motivation and aspirations are.
Influences of Mastery Goal and Perceived Competence on Educational Outcomes
Author: Yeung, Alexander Seeshing
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Secondary School Students,Goal Orientation,Competence,Outcomes of Education,Student Surveys,Self Efficacy,Student Motivation,Academic Achievement,Structural Equation Models,Predictor Variables,Factor Analysis

Motivation research has shown significant relations of students' mastery goal orientation and perceived competence to educational outcomes, but has not simultaneously scrutinized their relative influences on various educational outcomes. In the present investigation, a sample of Australian students from 6 secondary schools in Western Sydney (N = 1519) responded to survey items that measured mastery goal orientation and sense of competence. They were also asked to rate their status in class and self-efficacy in life. Their achievement scores were obtained by conducting both a reading and a numeracy test. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to relate the motivational constructs (mastery and competence) to the outcomes (achievement, status, and self-efficacy). Results showed that students' sense of competence was a stronger predictor of all three outcomes - achievement, status, and self-efficacy whereas mastery was a strong predictor of status and self-efficacy. Given that a sense of competence was found to be a strong predictor of achievement, it seems that educators should pay more attention to enhancing secondary students' sense of competence if the purpose is solely to improve achievement. However, if the goal is to enhance long-term and whole-person outcomes, then both a mastery goal orientation and a positive sense of competence should be nurtured in secondary education.
Self-Regulated Learning in Teacher Education--The Significance of Individual Resources and Learning Behaviour
Author: Keller-Schneider, Manuela
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Preservice Teacher Education,Preservice Teachers,Learning Strategies,Self Motivation,Resilience (Psychology),Outcomes of Education,Student Characteristics,Self Management,Educational Opportunities,Longitudinal Studies,Educational Quality,Student Surveys

Teacher education must ensure that teachers have the prerequisites to meet different demands in their career entry phase. The presented evaluation study of 241 student teachers in their second semester of pre-service education shows that not only highly rated courses have an impact on the learning outcome of student teachers; the intensity with which student teachers use learning opportunities, their competence in learning strategies, learning orientation, and strategies of self-motivation and resilience are crucial for high learning outcomes. Results show, that evaluation of courses focusing only the estimation of the quality of the course, doesn't guarantee for a learning outcome. The intensity of usage by the students and their individual characteristics like beliefs and motives are crucial as well. Results of this study point out, that in evaluation studies it seems to be important, to take several factors factors in account to analyse the effect of education. Additional to the quality of the course, also characteristics of the learners and their intensity in dealing with the demands of the course should be taken in account.
Sustaining Young People's Enrolment Intentions in Relation to Physics: Development and Validation of a Tool
Author: Abraham, Jessy
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Secondary School Students,Physics,Secondary School Science,Questionnaires,Test Construction,Test Validity,Psychometrics,Achievement Need,Learner Engagement,Enrollment,Intention,Factor Analysis,Factor Structure,Gender Differences

Currently there is a need for measures to examine the issue of sustaining students' enrolment intentions over an extended period of study in physics, a subject which is generally perceived as hard and demanding by students. This paper addresses this gap in research by describing the development and the assessment of psychometric properties of the Physics Motivation Questionnaire, which examines the predictive relations among senior secondary physics students' achievement motivation, sustained engagement and sustained enrolment intentions. The theoretical framework of the instrument largely draws on the Expectancy-Value theory of achievement motivation and the latent variables are assessed through six measures. Data shows that the Physics Motivation Questionnaire is a theoretically sound and psychometrically valid instrument which has utility in examining physics at a topic-specific level. The questionnaire makes a unique contribution to the physics enrolment literature and has significant implications for educational practitioners. These implications are discussed in the context of the findings.
The Unconscious Allocation of Cognitive Resources to Task-Relevant and Task-Irrelevant Thoughts
Author: Kuldas, Seffetullah
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cognitive Processes,Resource Allocation,Learning,Motivation,Schemata (Cognition),Psychological Patterns,Literature Reviews

Conscious allocation of cognitive resources to task-relevant thoughts is necessary for learning. However, task-irrelevant thoughts often associated with fear of failure can enter the mind and interfere with learning. Effects like this prompt the question of whether or not learners consciously shift their cognitive resources from task-relevant to task-irrelevant thoughts. This review examines the effect of learners&apos; unconscious cognitive and affective processes on their resource allocation. The review concludes by calling for further research into how learners unconsciously allocate cognitive resources to task-relevant and task-irrelevant thoughts.
Measuring the Impact of Students' Social Relations and Values: Validation of the Social-Relational Support for Education Instrument
Author: Vickers, Margaret
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Secondary School Students,Measures (Individuals),Test Validity,Learner Engagement,Peer Relationship,Parent Child Relationship,Teacher Student Relationship,Student Attitudes,Values,Factor Analysis,Goodness of Fit,Dropouts,Psychometrics,Test Reliability,Factor Structure,Student School Relationship,Gender Differences

A significant body of literature attests to the influence of social contexts on students' engagement with school. A review of this literature led to the construction of a self-report instrument designed to measure Social-Relational Support for Education (SRSE). The conceptual framework underlying the SRSE instrument focuses on the factors that can potentially boost student engagement: these include young people's relationships with peers, teachers, and parents. Specifically, the SRSE seeks to measure young people's perceptions of the education-related values espoused by those to whom they relate most closely, as well as their sense of belonging at school. The psychometric properties of the SRSE measure are assessed in this paper through examining the congeneric properties of each hypothesised latent factor, confirmatory factor analysis of responses to the full SRSE instrument, and invariance testing. Results indicate strong factor loadings of all items on their respective scales and excellent overall model fit. The SRSE scale presented in this paper provides an essential foundation that will allow a comprehensive examination of the relationships between students' social-relational contexts and their engagement with school.
The Role of Goal Importance in Predicting University Students' High Academic Performance
Author: Kyle, Vanessa A.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Role,Goal Orientation,Academic Achievement,Prediction,Intention,Grades (Scholastic),Psychology,Regression (Statistics),Student Attitudes,Undergraduate Students,Foreign Countries,Likert Scales,Semantic Differential,Questionnaires

We examined goal importance, focusing on high, but not exclusive priority goals, in the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to predict students' academic performance. At the beginning of semester, students in a psychology subject (N = 197) completed TPB and goal importance items for achieving a high grade. Regression analyses revealed partial support for the TPB. Perceived behavioural control, but not attitude or subjective norm, significantly predicted intention, with intention predicting final grade. Goal importance significantly predicted intention, but not final grade, indicating that perceiving a performance goal as highly, but not necessarily exclusively, important impacts on students' achievement intentions.
Using Rasch Analysis to Examine the Dimensionality Structure and Differential Item Functioning of the Arabic Version of the Perceived Physical Ability Scale for Children
Author: Abd-El-Fattah, Sabry M.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Item Response Theory,Test Bias,Grade 4,Physical Activity Level,Factor Structure,Gender Differences,Correlation,Self Efficacy,Self Concept Measures,Elementary School Students,Nonverbal Ability,Test Validity,Semitic Languages

This study uses the Rasch model technique to examine the dimensionality structure and differential item functioning of the Arabic version of the Perceived Physical Ability Scale for Children (PPASC). A sample of 220 Omani fourth graders (120 males and 100 females) responded to an Arabic translated version of the PPASC. Data on students' participation in physical activity were also collected using the Participation in Physical Activity Scale (PPAS). The analyses supported the unidimensionality of the factorial structure of the PPASC. The PPASC items were found to function equivalently across male and female groups. There were significant gender differences in perceived physical ability favoring males. The PPASC correlated positively and significantly with the PPAS.
Strategy Use of Russian Pre-Service TEFL University Students: Using a Strategy Inventory for Program Effectiveness Evaluation
Author: Zareva, Alla
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Program Effectiveness,Learning Strategies,Curriculum Design,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,College Students,Foreign Countries,Program Evaluation,Language Teachers,Teaching Methods,Teacher Education Programs,Preservice Teachers,Second Language Instruction,Scoring,Student Surveys,Statistical Analysis,Qualitative Research

The focus of the present study is on identifying categories of learning strategies that are mostly used by Russian university students in an English Linguistics Program with a TEFL concentration. The more specific goal of the study is to offer a model of evaluation of the effectiveness of TEFL-oriented programs in terms of the language learning strategies their students use and recognize as pedagogically applicable to their EFL environment. To this end, two groups of students were compared on their self-reported frequency of strategy use--1st year students (n = 23), who had just entered the program, and 4th year students (n = 38), who were close to graduating from the program and entering the teaching profession. The main instrument used in the study was a version of the &quot;Strategy Inventory for Language Learning&quot; (SILL), designed by Oxford (1990). Overall, both groups showed high to medium frequency of use of all strategy categories; however, the 4th year students revealed a more finely-grained scale of strategy use priorities. The findings of the study can help curriculum designers and instructors refine the focus of their TEFL-track programs and make informed decisions about emphases and de-emphases in their students' training.
Contrastive Analysis and Translation Study from a Corpus Linguistics Perspective
Author: Gómez-Castejón, Mª Ángeles
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Contrastive Linguistics,Translation,Second Languages,English,Grammar,Spanish,Computational Linguistics,Psycholinguistics,Correlation

Previous contrastive studies between the English gerund and its Spanish counterparts present serious limitations in the analysis of these constructions. The main objection is the absence of a cognitive approach. In addition, the traditional characterization of the English gerund seems to be inappropriate to determine its nature. We propose that in order to carry out a contrastive analysis of these constructions, it is absolutely necessary to include a cognitive approach. This approach establishes a valid characterization of the English gerund as well as the relationship between this category and its Spanish counterparts. We also include a translation study. The translation study is not limited to the establishment of equivalence relations between the source and target languages, but it also provides translations techniques observed in the translation product. On the whole, parallel corpora and translated texts prove to be extremely useful for both our contrastive analysis and translation study.
Physical Educators' Efficacy in Utilising Paraprofessionals in an Inclusive Setting
Author: Pedersen, Scott J.
Date: 2014-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Inclusion,Disabilities,Physical Education,Physical Education Teachers,Teacher Aides,Paraprofessional Personnel,Questionnaires,Online Surveys,Teacher Surveys,Interprofessional Relationship,Interpersonal Communication,Teacher Attitudes,Self Efficacy,Reliability

Inclusion of students with disabilities (SwD) in Australian health and physical education (HPE) classes is on the rise. Reasonable adjustment to assist inclusive practice is often accomplished through the use of teaching assistants, or paraprofessionals. While this practice is commonly understood within the classroom, this approach remains obscure in the HPE setting. The purpose of this study was to explore how Australian HPE teachers utilise paraprofessionals when teaching SwD in inclusive environments. HPE teachers (N = 14) completed an online questionnaire inquiring how paraprofessionals are being used and the strategies they are using to develop working relationships with paraprofessionals. The HPE teachers in our sample generally had a favourable attitudes towards the paraprofessionals they have worked with, however a lack of appropriate training and HPE curriculum knowledge were highlighted as deficient areas that may have an adverse effect on the overall HPE environment. Strategies to foster this collaborative working relationship were also investigated, and the primary finding dealt with adequate reciprocal communication.
How Creative Are Iranian EFL Teachers?
Author: Khany, Reza
Date: 2014-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Language Teachers,Creativity,Foreign Countries,Teaching Methods,Check Lists,Profiles,Expertise,Classroom Techniques,Teacher Attitudes,Teaching Styles

The study of creativity has been of great interest to educationalists in general and language teaching practitioners in particular. With all these, very little if any has been reported on the issue in Iranian EFL context. Having this in mind and drawing on the latest profile of creativity, effort was made to see how creative Iranian EFL teachers are. In so doing, a total of 36 English language teachers filled a checklist designed based on EFL Teachers' Creativity Profile (EFLTCP). The results indicated that the participants' perception did not match the way they performed their activities in the classroom. The main discrepancies were seen in teachers' Expertise and Management perceptions with their real practice in the classroom. The findings of this study can be used by language teacher educators, curriculum designers, and language teachers.
Evolving Practice: A Relational Framework for Developing Understandings of University Teaching Practice
Author: Mitchell, Donna Mathewson
Date: 2014-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Guidelines,Higher Education,Teacher Educators,Online Courses,Teacher Education,Teacher Attitudes,Teaching Methods,Foreign Countries,Theory Practice Relationship,Communities of Practice

As a teacher educator I am concerned with developing understandings of my teaching as it evolves over time, in relation to the university teaching context and more broadly in terms understandings of teaching practice. In this paper, I outline the development of a framework designed for this purpose. The Relational Framework for Investigating Teaching Practice (RFITP) enables the systematic collection of information about teaching as a formative and cyclic process. Implementation of the framework is explained and data reported on to illustrate the use of this framework in a project involving self study. While this particular example draws on teaching in an online environment, implications for understanding and developing teaching in the particular context of university teacher education are explored.
Engaging in Deep Cultural Learning through the Intersection of Multiple Contexts
Author: Northcote, Maria
Date: 2014-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Teacher Education Programs,Experiential Learning,Cultural Awareness,Study Abroad,Case Studies,Teacher Effectiveness,Skill Development,Practicums,Reflection,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Foreign Countries,Program Descriptions,Educational Quality,Travel,Learning Activities,Teaching Methods

The type of learning that takes place in teacher education courses typically results in pre-service teachers developing a mixture of knowledge, skills and values that enable them to become effective teachers in schools in the future. During their journey to become qualified teachers, pre-service teachers typically engage in coursework and experiential-based learning. By engaging in coursework experiences, an overseas practicum and an overseas study tour, students experienced a range of reflection-promoting activities and contexts during which they broadened and deepened their understanding of cultures other than their own. Using a cross-case analysis approach, the data gathered in these three cases were evaluated using an experiential learning theoretical framework. This article reports on findings from three separate but related studies in which students' learning about cultures other than their own was analysed and used to provide a set of practical recommendations for teacher education courses and programs.