ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Perceived Impact of a Character Education Program at a Midwest Rural Middle School: A Case Study
Author: Goss, Sandra J.
Date: 2014-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Values Education,Rural Schools,Middle Schools,Middle School Students,Case Studies,Program Descriptions,Program Effectiveness,Discipline Problems,Attendance Patterns,Incidence,Referral,Academic Achievement,School Culture,Educational Change,Mental Health,Student Improvement,Content Analysis,Student Behavior

Today concern exists for the safety and success of students in the public education system. Families, educators, and community members are concerned with the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of students in an environment where incidents of violence are growing. Events like the school shootings at Jonesboro, Arkansas, and at Columbine High School left our nation concerned with the problems within the school system. Numerous people believe that character education can be an effective solution. The purposes of this study are to describe key elements of one school's character education program, and to determine the impact that this program had on academics, attendance, and discipline incidents within that school. The data in this study provide a document analysis in a single rural middle school consisting of students in grades 5-8, in a school where the teachers and community members perceived that discipline issues were out of control. The study centered on the belief that character education has a positive impact on attendance, academics, and the number of discipline incidents. This research was valuable because this research supports that character education is effective. Character education positive impact was seen in attendance; students learn that when they are absent from school they really miss important opportunities in their educational experience. Character education has a positive impact on discipline; they understand what types of behavior are socially accepted not only in school, but in the global community that they reside. Real world applications of character education is extremely important for student understanding of the program.
Leading Instructional Practices in a Performance-Based System
Author: Kauble, Anna
Date: 2015-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Practices,Performance Based Assessment,Common Core State Standards,Academic Achievement,Program Effectiveness,Program Implementation,Educational Change,Educational Innovation,Sustainability,Outcomes of Education,Questionnaires,Focus Groups,Observation,Mixed Methods Research,Student Motivation,Cooperative Learning,Active Learning,Student Projects,Inquiry,Instructional Effectiveness,School Districts,Likert Scales,Correlation

Given the shift to Common Core, educational leaders are challenged to see new directions in teaching and learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the instructional practices which may be related to the effectiveness of a performance-based system (PBS) and their impact on student achievement, as part of a thematic set of dissertations that examined different aspects of a PBS system in three separate school systems in different areas of the continental US. This specific study examined the role of instructional strategies in implementing and sustaining a performance-based system in order to better understand how instructional strategies can improve the implementation of an innovative school reform as well as support a sustainable outcome that improves student academic achievement. In the study, a questionnaire was utilized to measure instructional strategy perceptions. Next, instructional strategy actions and perceptions were explored through face-to-face focus groups with participants. Finally, classroom observations were conducted to determine which components of instructional practices are commonly used in a PBS. The design for this mixed method study integrated both qualitative and quantitative methods. The results of the study indicated that there were some differences in the perceptions and usage of instructional practices across grade levels and districts. It was found the participants believed that the individualized nature of a PBS along with instilling student self-motivation is what promotes student achievement, not the use of specific instructional practices.
A Case Study on Online Mathematics Teaching with Pen-Based Technology: Experiences of Two Instructors
Author: Karal, Hasan
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Case Studies,Web Based Instruction,Mathematics Instruction,Educational Technology,Online Courses,Teaching Methods,Semi Structured Interviews,Observation,Content Analysis,Educational Benefits,Problem Solving,Synchronous Communication,Computer Mediated Communication,Feedback (Response),Mathematical Concepts,Teacher Attitudes,Mathematics Teachers,Qualitative Research,Foreign Countries,Classroom Techniques,Time Management,Teacher Student Relationship,College Faculty

The purpose of this study was to explore instructors' perspectives on the effect of using pen-based technology in the online mathematics courses and understand instructors' experiences in online mathematics teaching with pen-based technology. In this study, two instructors who taught online mathematics courses in fourteen weeks used digital pen as a pen-based technology. The data were obtained from semi-structured interviews and observation of online mathematics course records. The findings indicated that the use of digital pen in the online mathematics course was fairly beneficial in pedagogical and interaction aspects and it was necessary to use digital pen in online mathematics courses for displaying steps of problem solving process synchronously. It was concluded from the study that digital pen technology plays a positive role in the enhancement of interaction between the elements of an online learning environment by providing real-time feedback to students and permitting to digitize mathematical concepts. The observation findings also supported the statements of the instructors. The findings of the study have further provided some insight into how to use digital pen by an instructor in online mathematics course efficiently.
Perceptions of Using Smart Mobile Devices in Higher Education Teaching: A Case Study from Palestine
Author: Shraim, Khitam
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Case Studies,Teaching Methods,Telecommunications,Foreign Countries,Handheld Devices,Teacher Attitudes,College Faculty,Self Efficacy,Networks,Statistical Analysis,Questionnaires,Likert Scales

Smart mobile devices (SMDs), especially smartphones and tablets, are becoming increasingly ubiquitous among educators and students in Palestine. While their use is on the rise, many academics are not effectively incorporating this technology into their teaching, which may be attributable to their negative perceptions of these devices. This study therefore examined academics' perceptions of the value of integrating SMDs into their teaching activities. A questionnaire survey collected data from 56 academic staff of the Palestine Technical University-Kadoorie, eliciting perceptions of the physical attributes of SMDs, participants' self-efficacy, the pedagogical affordance of mobile devices and challenges to their use in teaching. The findings show that participants were still at the stage of actively experimenting with smartphones and iPads, trialing their use at different levels and for different purposes. In general, although participants were unaware of the full potential of their functionalities, they viewed positively the various pedagogical affordances of integrating these devices into their teaching activities. The most important affordances were linking formal and informal learning spaces by providing anywhere-anytime learning opportunities, and developing interest in the subject matter, thus making learning experience more enjoyable, meaningful, and accessible. The results also identify various challenges including lack of experience and knowledge, finding the time to design and implement such integration, and selecting appropriate apps for the content being taught. Participants also expressed concerns with the limited connectivity and unreliability of Wi-Fi and 3G/4G networks in Palestine.
Vocabulary Learning on Learner-Created Content by Using Web 2.0 Tools
Author: Eren, Omer
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Vocabulary Development,Pretests Posttests,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Statistical Analysis,Semi Structured Interviews,Student Attitudes,Positive Attitudes,Web 2.0 Technologies,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Foreign Countries,Social Networks,Computer Assisted Instruction,Teaching Methods,Computational Linguistics,English (Second Language),College Students

The present research examined the use of Web 2.0 tools to improve students' vocabulary knowledge at the School of Foreign Languages, Gaziantep University. Current studies in literature mostly deal with descriptions of students' attitudes towards the reasons for the use of web-based platforms. However, integrating usual classroom environment with Web 2.0 tools for specific sub-skills has not been examined much. It is aimed to contribute by investigating the feasibility of those tools as a supplement for vocabulary learning. This is an experimental research supported with semi-structured interviews and field notes. A pre-test and a post-test were administered to an experimental and a control group, and results were analyzed with the independent samples t-test. Following the post-test, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 students in the experimental group. The analyses of the test results demonstrated that both groups had gains but the mean of the experimental group was higher, and this difference was statistically significant. Findings suggest that almost all students have positive attitudes towards the educational use of Web 2.0 tools.
The Role of the Teacher in Primary School Web 2.0 Use
Author: Blannin, Joanne
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Elementary School Teachers,Primary Education,Teacher Role,Web 2.0 Technologies,Information Technology,Educational Technology,Technology Integration,Educational Research,Research Needs,Barriers,Student Role,Expectation,Educational Change,Electronic Learning,Self Efficacy,Teacher Attitudes,Technological Literacy,Access to Computers,Readiness

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have become ubiquitous in our society. In particular, 10-12 year old (primary school aged) children report that they increasingly rely upon ICTs for social interaction and for learning (ACMA, 2013). In spite of the large number of students reporting high ICT use, research indicates that many primary school teachers are not making effective use of online resources in the classroom. Influencing this lower level use is a lack of specifically focused research that considers the vital role of the primary school teacher in the integration of ICTs into the classroom program. To identify where research is most needed and might be most useful to support teachers to increase the use of ICTs in the classroom, this paper draws on research conducted in primary, secondary and tertiary education. It defines three core areas in which research is needed. These areas are teachers' internal (personal) and external (socio-cultural) barriers as well as the students' role in, and expectations of, pedagogical changes to classroom learning.
Learner Views about a Distance Education Course
Author: Durak, Gurhan
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Attitudes,Distance Education,Interviews,Student Motivation,Positive Attitudes,Summer Programs,Programming Languages,Instructional Innovation,Teacher Student Relationship,Feedback (Response),Course Evaluation,Online Courses,College Students,Foreign Countries

The purpose of the study was to investigate the views of learners experienced in the Distance Learning Platform (DLP), which was prepared according to an online course design model. The participants of the study were 19 learners who took the programming languages course (via the DLP for 14 weeks). Before the application, the preparation of the DLP took nearly 500 hours. A pilot study was performed with the learners during the summer school. The design of the DLP was improved through the views of those learners. The data were obtained through face-to-face interviews with the learners. The following themes emerged from analysis of the data: factors in preferring the DLP, general characteristics of the DLP, the effectiveness of the DLP, and expansion of the DLP. These themes are further analyzed on the basis of &quot;Diffusion of Innovations&quot; and &quot;Uses and Gratifications&quot; theories. As a result of the interviews conducted with the learners, it was found that the learners had positive opinions about the DLP as it (1) offers flexibility, (2) contains elements enhancing their motivation, (3) enables the learners to communicate easily with the instructor, (4) provides the learners with instant feedback, and (5) enables them to access to the course materials easily.
Promoting Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation among Chemistry Students Using Computer-Assisted Instruction
Author: Gambari, Isiaka A.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Chemistry,Computer Assisted Instruction,Learning Motivation,Experimental Groups,Secondary School Students,Control Groups,Foreign Countries,Questionnaires,Computer Simulation,Computer Software,Gender Differences,Pretests Posttests,Scientific Concepts,Reliability,Observation,Interviews,Statistical Analysis,Science Tests,Achievement Tests,Science Teachers,Qualitative Research

The role of computer-assisted instruction in promoting intrinsic and extrinsic motivation among Nigerian secondary school chemistry students was investigated in this study. The study employed two modes of computer-assisted instruction (computer simulation instruction and computer tutorial instructional packages) and two levels of gender (male and female) using pretest-posttest experimental group design. Ninety (45 males and 45 females) senior secondary one (SS1) students from three secondary schools in Minna, Nigeria, made up the sample. The schools were purposively sampled and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The Experimental Group I was taught two selected concepts of chemistry using computer simulation instructional package (CSIP), Experimental Group II was exposed to computer tutorial Instructional package (CTIP) while conventional teaching method (CTM) was used for the Control Group. Validated Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT) and Chemistry Motivation Questionnaire (CMQ) with reliability coefficient of 0.89 and 0.94 respectively were used for data collection. Classroom observations as well as interview schedules were also conducted. Data from CAT and CTM were analyzed using One-way ANOVA and Scheffe's post-hoc test, while the data from the classroom observations and interview schedules were thematically analyzed. The outcome of this study revealed that students taught with CSIP performed better than those in CTIP and CTM groups. The CSIP and CTIP were found also to be gender friendly. Moreover, students taught with CSIP had higher intrinsic and extrinsic motivation than their counterparts in CTIP and CTM respectively. Based on the findings, it was recommended that chemistry teachers should employ computer simulation for improving their students' performance and motivation in the subject.
Effectiveness of Mobile Applications in Vocabulary Teaching
Author: Basal, Ahmet
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Software,Vocabulary Development,Teaching Methods,Telecommunications,Experimental Groups,Figurative Language,Pretests Posttests,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Instructional Effectiveness,Computational Linguistics,English (Second Language),Quasiexperimental Design,Academic Discourse,Control Groups,Scores,Asynchronous Communication,Handheld Devices,Electronic Learning

Smartphones are increasingly becoming an ordinary part of our daily lives. With their remarkable capacity, applications used in these devices are extremely varied. In terms of language teaching, the use of these applications has opened new windows of opportunity, innovatively shaping the way instructors teach and students learn. This 4 week-long study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a mobile application on teaching 40 figurative idioms from the Michigan Corpus of Academic Spoken English (MICASE) corpus compared to traditional activities. Quasi-experimental research design with pretest and posttest was employed to determine the differences between the scores of the control (n=25) and the experimental group (n=25) formed with convenience sampling. Results indicate that participants in the experimental group performed significantly better in the posttest, demonstrating the effectiveness of the mobile application used in this study on learning idioms. The study also provides recommendations towards the use of mobile applications in teaching vocabulary.
The Effectiveness of WhatsApp Mobile Learning Activities Guided by Activity Theory on Students' Knowledge Management
Author: Barhoumi, Chokri
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Software,Experimental Groups,Knowledge Management,Control Groups,Learning Activities,Statistical Analysis,Comparative Analysis,Blended Learning,Student Attitudes,Scientific Research,Research Methodology,Information Science,Learning Processes,Instructional Effectiveness,Questionnaires,Likert Scales,Achievement Tests,Content Validity,Communities of Practice

This research paper explores the effectiveness of using mobile technologies to support a blended learning course titled Scientific Research Methods in Information Science. Specifically, it discusses the effects of WhatsApp mobile learning activities guided by activity theory on students' knowledge Management (KM). During the 2014 academic year, the researcher adopted an experimental approach-based comparison between an experimental group (34 students) and a control group (34 students). The learning process of the experimental group was based on continuity between 2 hours of in-class learning and 1 hour of learning activities that were mediated by WhatsApp instant messaging each week. The control group's experience was 100% in-class with no app mediation. The researcher used the t-test to compare the means of the control and experimental groups in the test and the students' attitudes at 0.05 alpha levels. This research paper is useful for exploring the effectiveness of mobile technologies in supporting blended learning courses.
Effects of Integrating Peace Education in the Nigeria Education System
Author: Olowo, Oluwatoyin Olusegun
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Peace,Teaching Methods,Questionnaires,Crime,Violence,Prevention,Social Studies,Outcomes of Education,Foreign Countries,Secondary School Teachers,College Faculty,Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Education,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Thematic Approach

This paper attempted to investigate the effects of integrating Peace Education into Nigeria educational system. Four research questions were designed for the study. The researcher designed an instrument tagged: Questionnaire on effect of Integrating Peace Education (QEIPE). The entire population of two hundred respondents spread across Secondary Schools and lecturers in higher institutions of learning in Ondo State were used as the sample for the study. A 20-item questionnaire structured on a 4-point scale was used for the collection of data. Mean and Standard deviation was used to answer the four research question generated from the study. The findings identified the inclusion of Peace Education in Nigerian School curriculum in order to reduce crime, violence and other social vices in Nigeria. The result of the study further revealed that there is no significant differences between Peace Education and Social Studies. The findings equally identified with the relevance effects of integrating Peace Education in the school curriculum on teachers and students. Based on these findings among others, it was recommended that training and retaining of teachers should be intensified to enable teachers acquire the skills and knowledge to use appropriate techniques and methods to effectively teach Peace Education. Also, while integrating Peace Education concepts, thematic approach in restricting the Social Studies curriculum in social studies and other related subjects should be reviewed in such a way that concepts that are relevant to Peace Education will be reflected and identified.
Differences in Mathematics Teachers' Perceived Preparedness to Demonstrate Competence in Secondary School Mathematics Content by Teacher Characteristics
Author: Ng'eno, J. K.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mathematics Teachers,Teacher Competencies,Secondary School Teachers,Secondary School Mathematics,Teacher Characteristics,Teacher Attitudes,Questionnaires,Statistical Analysis,Teaching Experience,Gender Differences,Teacher Qualifications,Comparative Analysis,Foreign Countries,Hypothesis Testing

A sample of 300 mathematics teachers drawn from a population of 1500 participated in this study. The participants were selected using systematic random sampling and stratified random sampling (stratified by qualification and gender). The data was collected using self-report questionnaires for mathematics teachers. One tool was used to collect data; Teachers Preparedness Questionnaire (TPQ) for mathematics. The instruments were validated by experts in the department of Curriculum, Instruction and Education Management. The instruments were pilot tested and reliability coefficient was calculated and found to be 0.83, which is above the required threshold coefficient of 0.70, Cronbach alpha in social science research. The collected data was analysed using both descriptive (means and percentages) and inferential statistics (ANOVA and t-test) to establish differences in teacher's perceived preparedness to demonstrate competence to implement secondary school mathematics content by Teaching Experience, qualification and Gender. To establish whether there were statistically significant differences in mathematics teachers' perceived preparedness by qualification, ANOVA was used. The hypotheses were tested at coefficient Alpha (a) level of 0.05. The test of differences show that there is a statistically significant difference in teachers' perceived preparedness to implement secondary school mathematics content by teaching experience; however there is no statistically significant difference by teacher qualification and gender.
Functionality of Cooperative Business Education in Development of Nigeria
Author: Okoli, Constance I.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Business Education,Sustainability,Developing Nations,Cooperative Education,Educational Objectives,Economic Development,Learning Experience,Skill Development,Management Development,Outcomes of Education,Foreign Countries

Cooperatives without doubt are seen as major players in the development process especially in developing countries; for the mobilization of citizens and building them into formidable groups for productive purposes. The ability of this organization to achieve objectives depends greatly on the public, its members, management and leadership, in understanding of its ideologies, principles and practices, also in development of skills and competencies for sustainability. This paper provided insight into the issues of cooperative education and its ability to achieving functions in economic, social, political and other areas of development of cooperative members and the nation at large. Recommendations were also proffered to enable the programme achieve objectives.