ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Grow Creativity!
Author: Shively, Candace Hackett
Date: 2011-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Creativity,Student Projects,Creative Thinking,Creative Teaching,Brainstorming,Teaching Methods,Computer Uses in Education

Creativity matters. A shared vocabulary and lens for creativity helps teachers and students know what it means to "be creative" and where to start. J. P. Guilford's FFOE model of divergent thinking from the 1950s offers four dimensions to describe creativity: (1) Fluency; (2) Flexibility; (3) Originality; and (4) Elaboration. FFOE makes time spent on projects worthwhile because creativity is supported, deliberate, and meaningful while still connected to the curriculum. Promoting and analyzing creativity becomes a simpler matter of using the terms and involving the students, not teaching separate lessons or developing new materials. In fact, student projects may already be building creativity but may just not have a vocabulary to talk about it. Though imagined long before Web 2.0, this model is evergreen. The terms are simple enough to use with students from kindergarten to AP, as well as with parents to publicly value and promote creativity across the curriculum. In this article, the author offers a few ideas on how to use the FFOE model to promote creativity in the classroom. (Contains 5 online resources.)
The Road to Lasting Tech Leadership
Author: Luthra, Shabbi
Date: 2011-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Technology Planning,Educational Change,Educational Technology,Leadership Responsibility,Technology Integration,Foreign Countries,Computer Uses in Education,Participative Decision Making,Teamwork,Change Strategies

As with many schools, tech integration at the American School of Bombay (ASB) was varied and scattered. ASB had enthusiastic teachers who used technology in class, but they were the exception. As a result, just a small percentage of students experienced new ways of learning. The authors wanted to turn the occasional use of technology into a widespread and sustained commitment to new forms of learning and teaching. They believed that stakeholder input would be the key to any initiative that improved learning, and that stakeholders must be involved in and take ownership of technology planning. They also knew that leadership would be critical to the success of the tech integration. Even with a clear vision, it would take at least a couple of years to engage the staff and get them working collectively. And with the transient nature of an international school's students and staff, lasting school change would be even more of a challenge. Tech leaders would have to deal with new systems and practices, new guidelines and plans, and conditions for change. In this article, the authors describe how they adopted a distributed leadership approach with these essential elements: (1) Technology leadership team; (2) Technology planning; (3) Commitment to fostering change; (4) Test-bed culture; and (5) Commitment to sustaining change.
Girls Save the World through Computer Science
Author: Murakami, Christine
Date: 2011-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Females,Computer Science,Grade 5,High Schools,Grade 3,Grade 4,Adolescents,Student Motivation,Computers,Class Activities,Grade 10,Grade 12,Student Projects,Teaching Methods,Computer Uses in Education,Student Attitudes,Self Esteem

It's no secret that fewer and fewer women are entering computer science fields. Attracting high school girls to computer science is only part of the solution. Retaining them while they are in higher education or the workforce is also a challenge. To solve this, there is a need to show girls that computer science is a wide-open field that offers many interesting career choices. That's why the author decided to take a group of high school sophomores and juniors from Columbus School for Girls (CSG) in Ohio on a service trip to the Caribbean, where they delivered 60 laptops to three classrooms of third through fifth grade students and taught them how to use the computers. Her intent was to expose her students to computer science through a service trip and show them that this field has many fulfilling pathways. This project can easily be carried out in other private or public schools, either as an elective, after-school activity, or club. What works for girls will also work for boys and minorities, both of which have declining numbers in computer science in the United States. (Contains 6 online resources.)
Text Readability and Intuitive Simplification: A Comparison of Readability Formulas
Author: Crossley, Scott A.
Date: 2011-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Readability,Readability Formulas,Word Processing,Psycholinguistics,Computational Linguistics,Cognitive Processes,Cognitive Science,Second Language Learning,Reading Comprehension,Prediction,Predictor Variables,Word Frequency,Statistical Analysis

Texts are routinely simplified for language learners with authors relying on a variety of approaches and materials to assist them in making the texts more comprehensible. Readability measures are one such tool that authors can use when evaluating text comprehensibility. This study compares the Coh-Metrix Second Language (L2) Reading Index, a readability formula based on psycholinguistic and cognitive models of reading, to traditional readability formulas on a large corpus of texts intuitively simplified for language learners. The goal of this study is to determine which formula best classifies text level (advanced, intermediate, beginner) with the prediction that text classification relates to the formulas' capacity to measure text comprehensibility. The results demonstrate that the Coh-Metrix L2 Reading Index performs significantly better than traditional readability formulas, suggesting that the variables used in this index are more closely aligned to the intuitive text processing employed by authors when simplifying texts. (Contains 9 tables.)
Going to University: Pacific Island Migrant Perspectives
Author: Cuthill, Michael
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Action Research,Young Adults,Foreign Countries,Access to Education,Adolescent Attitudes,Parent Attitudes,Educational Attitudes,Barriers,Performance Factors,Interviews,Socioeconomic Background,Socioeconomic Influences,Disadvantaged Youth,Pacific Islanders,Disproportionate Representation

Despite extensive and on-going efforts, people from a low socio-economic background continue to be significantly under-represented in Australian higher education. In response to this situation, a two year action research project explored the broad issue of higher education access for young people from low socio-economic backgrounds in South East Queensland, Australia. This paper focuses on one specific aspect of that project, and reports on the underlying factors which constrain access to higher education access for one cultural community in Australia. Analysis is based on interview data from young people and parents from this community, and presents a rich description of their lived experiences. Enhanced understanding of the perspectives of young people and their families relating to higher education access provides a solid foundation for developing informed and culturally appropriate higher education access initiatives.
Pinnacle: Evaluation of the Graduate Teacher Training Program at the ANU
Author: Barthwal, Aditi
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Feedback (Response),Mentors,Program Effectiveness,Teaching Methods,Curriculum Development,Teacher Education Programs,Program Evaluation,Teaching Skills,Skill Development,Participant Satisfaction,Program Descriptions,Doctoral Programs,Foreign Countries

Pinnacle is the ANU's teacher training programme for full time PhD students. The Pinnacle Teacher Training Program provides a mentoring system that aims to equip postgraduate students with the skills and theoretical background that they will need to become high quality lecturers. This article describes Pinnacle, and discusses the assessment of its effectiveness by past Pinnacle participants, using quantitative and qualitative feedback. There were differences in the perceived effectiveness of Pinnacle related to participants' sex and their academic discipline. Overall, the participants found that the opportunity to deliver lectures, to work closely with their mentor, and to reflect on their own teaching philosophy and practice gave them a sense of being confident and competent teachers by the end of the programme. Pinnacle provides an opportunity to reflect on the practice of teaching before habit and academic pressures permanently shape teaching practices. (Contains 2 figures and 1 table.)
Lessons from a Student Engagement Pilot Study: Benefits for Students and Academics
Author: Errey, Robert
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Pilot Projects,Learner Engagement,Undergraduate Students,Business Administration Education,Student Attitudes,Focus Groups,Student Surveys,Models,Foreign Countries

Better learning outcomes flow from higher levels of student engagement. When the perception is that student engagement is in decline, there is genuine concern amongst committed academic teaching staff. This paper reports on a pilot study designed to foster an understanding of the factors that influence engagement in undergraduate students in the business school at a regional Australian university. Two focus groups were conducted with the assistance of 22 students enrolled in the major study areas of the school, and the information obtained informed the development of an on-line questionnaire aimed at exploring the drivers of engagement and disengagement. Eighty-five students completed the questionnaire, and 67 usable responses were available for analysis--a response rate of 17 per cent, which could be seen as illustrative of student disengagement. However, the findings of the pilot study suggest that the majority of students believed themselves to be engaged with their studies. Students reported that the instructors' approach, class and assignment structure, learning support and other personal factors affected their level of engagement. A &quot;preliminary model of student engagement&quot; was developed from the findings. Key factors have been drawn from this to inform learning and teaching policy and practices within the School. (Contains 2 figures and 3 tables.)
A Ten Year Citation Analysis of Major Australian Research Institutions
Author: Batterham, Robin J.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Metric System,Foreign Countries,Citation Analysis,Research Universities,Citations (References),Research and Development,Innovation,Bibliometrics,National Standards,College Outcomes Assessment

The introduction of the Excellence in Research for Australia scheme has heightened debate amongst research institutions over the use of metrics such as citations, especially given the ready availability of citation data. An analysis is presented of the citation performance of nine Australian universities and the Commonwealth Scientific, Industrial and Research Organisation (CSIRO) that indicates that Australian Institutions perform significantly better than the global average. That said, the question is raised as to whether we are setting the bar too low. Finally, a tentative link between citation performance and application to innovation is noted. (Contains 1 figure and 2 tables.)
Supporting and Evaluating Transitional Learning for International University Students
Author: Owens, Alison
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Attitudes,Grade Point Average,Learning Strategies,Prior Learning,Active Learning,Transitional Programs,Articulation (Education),Foreign Countries,Foreign Students,Educational Principles,Learning Experience,Student Diversity,Reflection,Instructional Effectiveness

In 2007, as part of its response to the continuing diversification of students, Central Queensland University introduced a for-credit undergraduate course, &quot;The Principles of University Learning&quot;, focusing on &quot;learning to learn&quot; in the Australian university context. The aim was to support the transition of learners with diverse prior learning experiences into the Australian model of education requiring independent and active learning strategies deployed in critical engagement with diverse materials in changing contexts. This paper presents research conducted to evaluate the outcomes of the course reflected in quantitative and qualitative data collected for a total of 144 course graduates. Grade Point Average (GPA) results collected over three terms of study were reviewed for course graduates. In addition, research also reviewed qualitative data related to the course to establish its effect on student perceptions about learning. This report includes background information and rationale as well as research results identified over 2008-09. (Contains 2 tables.)
On Being a Happy Academic
Author: Martin, Brian
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Psychological Patterns,College Faculty,Job Skills,Interprofessional Relationship,Perception,Metacognition,Educational Policy,Well Being,Colleges,Teacher Salaries

Happiness research provides guidance on what academics can do to increase their satisfaction at work. Changes in external circumstances, such as salary rises, seldom have a lasting effect. More likely to improve long-term happiness levels are exercising well-developed skills, building strong relationships, helping others and cultivating mindfulness. These methods for improving well-being have some specific implications for academic life, suggesting strategies for individuals and policy-making.
The New ERA of Journal Ranking: The Consequences of Australia's Fraught Encounter with &quot;Quality&quot;
Author: Cooper, Simon
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Collegiality,Periodicals,Foreign Countries,Reputation,Research,Social Networks,Role,Information Technology,Research Methodology

Ranking scholarly journals forms a major feature of the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) initiative. We argue this process is not only a flawed system of measurement, but more significantly erodes the very contexts that produce &quot;quality&quot; research. We argue that collegiality, networks of international research, the socio-cultural role of the academic journal, as well as the way academics research in the digital era, are either ignored or negatively impacted upon by ranking exercises such as those posed by the ERA.
Quality Teaching: Means for Its Enhancement?
Author: Buchanan, John
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Effectiveness,Research Methodology,Audiences,Student Surveys,Educational Quality,Evaluation Methods,Teaching Methods,Higher Education,Reliability,Validity,Scores,Ethics,Measurement

The pursuit of enhancing quality in tertiary education and educators is noble. Increasingly, however, universities are resorting to stark, reductionist representations of educational quality, such as decontextualised mean figures generated by student surveys, to measure and report on this. This paper questions the validity and reliability of such mean scores. Universities are using these results for high-stakes ends, and disclose them to ever-broader audiences. This paper focuses on the broader publication of these mean scores pertaining to individual staff members. The paper investigates forces that drive such an approach and the attractions thereof, and enumerates its outcomes and effects, while investigating potential theory-method mismatches. The paper evaluates this evaluation method against four criteria: (measurement of) quality teaching; ethical practice; managerial relations; and research methodology and methods. The paper also proposes some alternative approaches to interrogate and enhance teacher quality.
Who Benefits from Foreign Universities in the Arab Gulf States?
Author: Wilkins, Stephen
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Arabs,Foreign Countries,Social Development,Stakeholders,International Schools,Access to Education,Economic Development,Labor Force Development,Economic Impact,International Educational Exchange,Barriers,Educational Benefits

The Arab Gulf States are the largest hosts of international branch campuses globally. By increasing higher education capacity in the Arab Gulf States by over 30,000 places, foreign institutions have, through various forms of transnational provision, increased significantly the accessibility of higher education to young people living in these countries. However, critics of transnational higher education have suggested that it can be seen as the new neo-colonialism which benefits the providers much more than the receivers. This study aims to identify the stakeholders that might benefit from transnational higher education in the Arab Gulf States, and to examine the extent to which those stakeholders are actually benefiting from it. It was found that transnational higher education is playing a large role in the economic, cultural and social development of the Arab Gulf States.
Preparation and Aspiration: Access to Higher Education for Working-Class Students
Author: Brook, Heather
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Socioeconomic Status,Enrollment Management,Disproportionate Representation,Disadvantaged,Outreach Programs,Access to Education,Academic Aspiration,College Preparation,Working Class,Social Influences,Foreign Countries

One of the outcomes of the &quot;Bradley Report&quot; (Bradley et al. 2008) is that Australian universities have a new incentive to enrol students from low socio-economic status. Consequently, a flurry of interest is growing around knowledge concerning the targeting, recruitment and retention of low socio-economic status (SES) students. Working class people in general, and low SES students in particular, are no more or less intelligent than anyone else. In their under-representation at universities, however, low SES students are sometimes wrongly positioned as intellectually deficient (Kadi 1996). The problem in extending the opportunities higher education affords to under-represented groups lies not in low SES students themselves, but in the social relations that produce them as such. Looking for the first and most influential point of intervention is like looking for the beginning of a loop. Instead, one should attend to the wisdom and experience of those whose situation has some resonance with one's own, and build along the paths their steps have already worn. Most of all, universities should be places where class differences, along with other diverse personal and cultural identifications, can be critically productive rather than shaming and exclusive. And this has to start, both inside and beyond the classroom, now.
An Interrupted Pathway
Author: Michell, Dee
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Low Income Groups,Socioeconomic Status,College Students,Disproportionate Representation,Stopouts,Academic Persistence,First Generation College Students,Socioeconomic Background,Indigenous Populations,Student Experience,Foreign Countries

It took the author 22 years to get her first undergraduate degree. Not that she studied for all that time, of course, but she first enrolled in 1976 and she didn't graduate with her BA until April 1998. Why did it take so long? Was there something wrong with her? Was there anything anyone else could have done to help her get through university earlier? These questions are very much on her mind at the moment as programmes have been and are being put into place to encourage more school leavers from low socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds to go on to university. Her interest in the Federal Government's push to increase the representation of students from low socio-economic backgrounds from less than 15 to 20 per cent by 2020 (Bradley et al. 2008) is both personal and academic. It's personal because she was a student from a low socio-economic background, and it's academic because she now teaches in a university. She thinks that studying has been worthwhile, not only because she loves her life now, but also because she has demonstrated that one doesn't have to be an academically gifted high school student from a low SES background to get a PhD--being average will get anyone there too.
Looking Back into the Future
Author: O'Neill, Arthur
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Postsecondary Education,Educational History,Educational Development,Trend Analysis,Prediction,Foreign Countries,Educational Change,Social Change,Politics of Education,Educational Policy,Educational Philosophy

The authors want to figure out what happened in Australian post-secondary education over the last 50 or so years and to predict what sort of arrangement their great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren, will encounter 50 years hence. To put this modest project another way: what in 2060 might a historian (assuming there are, then, historians) write about their topic over the previous 100 years? To help provide a testamentary source for a future historian, the authors have picked out three intertwined social and educational phases over the last fifty and-a-bit years, starting around 1957 and ending now. Then they make some guesses about the social order in 2060, and therefore about how Australian post-secondary education might be in that year.
We'll Support You Ever More!
Author: Gora, Joseph
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Classification,Benchmarking,Educational Quality,Academic Standards,Evaluation Criteria,Research Methodology,International Education,International Studies,Comparative Analysis,Comparative Education

In this article the author discusses public reaction generated by the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. He argues that it is not simply that the methodologies adopted by the main rankers -- Times Higher Education (THE), QS and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University -- are diverse and open to the usual interpretation, but there appears to be a significant leaning towards the Anglo-American scene with no fewer than 18 American and British universities figuring in the top twenty of the THE ranking, with the exceptions being the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and the unassuming but almost Anglo-American University of Toronto. He goes on to say that the pathetic performance of Australian universities in the latest THE ranking headed by the University of Melbourne (36), Australian National University (43) (17 last year) and the University of Sydney (71) (36 last year), has for now at least, put the skids under the tertiary "education revolution". In order to have a more open and competitive system that truly reflects the new culture of public transparency that is the "My University" website, he suggests that Australia develops a more innovative approach to its own internal system of rankings by adopting the league table system of the English Football Association. Each year two universities will be promoted and two relegated and the university topping the Foster's Premier League will be declared champions and the respective vice-chancellors ensconced in Sudan chairs and paraded before an assembled House of Representatives.