ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
An Investigation on Secondary School Students' Attitude towards Science in Ogun State, Nigeria
Author: Sakariyau, A. O.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Student Attitudes,Secondary School Students,Attitude Measures,Questionnaires,Likert Scales,Science Education,Gender Differences,Hypothesis Testing

The study investigated the attitudes of secondary school students towards science in Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. Two hundred senior secondary school students consisting of 84 males and 116 females were selected from five secondary schools using stratified random sampling techniques. A 20-item Attitude to Science Questionnaire on a five-point Likert scale was adopted for the study. The instrument has a reliability coefficient of 0.73 using Cronbach's reliability method. Frequency counts and percentages were used to obtain an overall picture of students' attitude towards science while student's t-test was used to find out whether there was significance difference between the attitude of male and female students. Findings showed that a higher proportion of the students display positive attitude towards science. Also, there was no significant difference between the attitude of male and female students towards science.
Analysis of Influence of Sponsorship Career Function of Mentorship on Women's Leadership Advancement in Kenyan Universities
Author: Severina, Wambeti Njagi
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mentors,Leaders,Foreign Countries,Universities,Females,Mixed Methods Research,Leadership,Regression (Statistics)

Women working in Kenyan universities should be provided with the many benefits of sponsorship, a mentorship function. Mentors should for example give their mentees challenging assignments which prepare them for top leadership positions. But it is possible that women may not be getting this support from their mentors. Therefore, the researcher did this study for the purpose of establishing the influence of sponsorship on women's leadership advancement in Kenyan universities. A mixed methodology, using a triangulation design-convergence model was applied to achieve the objective. It was established that women receive limited sponsorship and only in some facets of this career mentoring function thus they are left to face many difficulties as they try to climb the career ladder. The conclusion was that women working in Kenyan universities should get holistic sponsorship within mentorship if they are to advance to top leadership positions in the universities. The recommendation was that structures be set up in universities so that women get not only informal but formal mentorship, inclusive of the career function of mentorship. These structures should as well be provided in other organizations in the country.
The Effect of Religion on Ethnic Tolerance in Malaysia: The Application of Rational Choice Theory (RCT) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB)
Author: Idris, Fazilah
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Ethnic Diversity,Behavior Theories,Social Behavior,Religion,Religious Factors,Social Attitudes,Social Bias,Literature Reviews

There has been little research done on explaining the ethnic tolerance behavior from the perspective of sociological theories. The authors chose rational choice theory and the theory of planned behavior as they are widely used in explaining the human social behaviour. In this article, the theories are used to explain the effects of religion on ethnic tolerance in Malaysia. The authors also reviewed a number of literatures to study how religion is associated with ethnic tolerance. From the rational choice theory perspective, it was found that ethnic tolerance can be influenced by one's religious belief if those who practice it are reciprocated with the promise of retributions from God. The theory of planned behavior on the other hand suggests that religion can affect behavior, subjective norms, and perception on how one deals with ethnic tolerance. It is recommended that the theories are used by future studies in order to further expand knowledge base on the subject of ethnic tolerance. This study provides ways and means to inculcate ethnic integration in Malaysia and helps to diffuse religious and ethnic prejudices.
When Does Preschool Matter?
Author: Yoshikawa, Hirokazu
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preschool Education,Program Effectiveness,Young Children,Language Skills,Reading Skills,Mathematics Skills,Cognitive Development,Social Development,Emotional Development,Early Intervention,Executive Function,Child Health,Student Characteristics,Family Characteristics,Literature Reviews,Effect Size,Educational Quality

We have many reasons to invest in preschool programs, including persistent gaps in school readiness between children from poorer and wealthier families, large increases in maternal employment over the past several decades, and the rapid brain development that preschool-age children experience. But what do we know about preschool education's effectiveness? In this article, Hirokazu Yoshikawa, Christina Weiland, and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn report strong evidence that preschool boosts children's language, literacy, and math skills in the short term; it may also reduce problem behaviors such as aggression. Over the elementary school years, however, test scores of children who were exposed to preschool tend to converge with the scores of children who were not. Many factors may explain this convergence. For example, kindergarten or first-grade teachers may focus on helping children with lower levels of skills get up to speed, or children may lose ground when they transition from high-quality preschools into poor-quality elementary programs. Taking a longer view, some studies have found that attending preschool boosts children's high school graduation rates and makes them less likely to engage in criminal behavior. Overall, higher-quality preschool programs are associated with larger effects. How might preschools produce larger effects that last longer? Developmentally focused curricula, combined with intensive in-service training or coaching for teachers, have been shown to improve the quality of preschool instruction. Focusing on fundamental skills that both predict long-term outcomes and are less likely to be gained in the first years of school might also produce longer-lasting effects. And improving instructional quality in early elementary school and better aligning the preschool and elementary curricula may be another way to sustain the boost that quality preschool education can provide. Above all, the authors write, if we want to see sustained improvements in children's development and learning, we need to increase the quality of--not just access to--preschool education.
Emotional Intelligence and the Conflict Resolution Repertoire of Couples in Tertiary Institutions in Imo State
Author: Nnodum, B. I.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Emotional Intelligence,Conflict Resolution,Marriage,Foreign Countries,Correlation,Hypothesis Testing,Marital Satisfaction,Surveys,Higher Education,Likert Scales

This study is a descriptive survey that investigated the relationship between emotional intelligence and conflict resolution repertoire of couples in tertiary institutions. A sample of 250 married people were drawn from the population of couples in tertiary institutions in Imo State. Two researcher made and validated instruments were used in collecting data for the study. They are: Couples' Conflict Resolution Repertoire (CCRR) and Emotional Intelligence Scale for Couples (EISC). One research question was formulated to guide the study. One hypothesis was raised and tested at 0.05 level of significance. Mean, standard deviation and Pearson product moment correlation were the statistical tools employed in analyzing the data collected. The result of the analysis indicated a significant relationship between emotional intelligence and couples' conflict resolution repertoire. Finally, it was recommended that couples should be given training on emotional intelligence skills as well as conflict resolution skills during their marriage preparatory classes prior to their wedding. Counsellors in tertiary institutions should occasionally organize seminars and workshops on emotional intelligence and conflict resolution skills for their married staff.
The Economic Returns to Early Childhood Education
Author: Karoly, Lynn A.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Early Childhood Education,Outcomes of Education,Preschool Education,Program Evaluation,Cost Effectiveness

One way to assess the value of preschool education programs is to compare their upfront costs with the economic benefits they produce, measured by such outcomes as less need for special education services, improved high school graduation rates, higher earnings and less criminal activity in adulthood, and so on. What do such benefit-cost analyses tell us about the wisdom of investing in greater access to preschool? In this article, Lynn Karoly carefully reviews the evidence. First, she identifies the biggest challenges in measuring the economic returns from preschool programs. Then she summarizes the range of estimates from various benefit-cost analyses and some of the methodological differences that can account for the differences among them. Last, she explores the implications of the research for using benefit-cost analysis results to make policy decisions about preschool education. One key challenge: Although many preschool programs have been evaluated for their educational effectiveness, few have been subject to economic evaluations. Most predictive studies of preschool education's long-term economic benefits rely on benefit-cost analyses of programs that were implemented decades ago, when a far smaller proportion of children attended preschool at all, and that followed their subjects well into adult life. Although analyses of those programs suggest returns from preschool as high as $17 for every dollar invested, Karoly concludes that in today's context, it may be more realistic to expect returns in the range of $3 to $4. In the end, Karoly writes, we need to improve the quality and usefulness of economic evaluations of preschool, particularly by calculating the true economic value of preschool programs' short-term and medium-term effects in areas such as cognitive, social-emotional, and behavioral development. We could then more easily evaluate the economic benefits of a preschool program without having to wait until the participating children grow to adulthood.
Effectiveness of Training Model Capacity Building for Entrepreneurship Women Based Empowerment Community
Author: Idawati
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Females,Entrepreneurship,Empowerment,Training,Models,Capacity Building,Needs Assessment,Program Design,Program Development,Program Evaluation,Program Implementation,Foreign Countries,Pretests Posttests,Statistical Analysis

The purpose of this research was to determine the effectiveness of a training model for capacity building of women entrepreneurship community-based. Research type approach Research and Development Model, which refers to the model of development research that developed by Romiszowki (1996) combined with a model of development Sugiono (2011) it was leveled; into five stages, namely (1) the analysis of the needs and potential, (2) design, (3) development, (4) implementation, and (5) evaluation. The research subject was the facilitator of the training module woven pandanus as many as 30 people. Data analysis was conducted descriptive quantitative research. The results showed that the training model CBWB-EEER based on responses facilitators are of very high category, and by trial participants, indicating in terms of (1) the ability to identify potential average is at category high, (2) the ability of entrepreneurship is in the category enough and high, (3) the ability to manage finances on average at the high category, and (4) the ability of woven pandanus creative skills are very high. From the results of data analysis showed that the training model of capacity building for entrepreneurship women based on empowerment community meet the criteria of feasible and effective.
Reading and Language in the Early Grades Reading and Language in the Early Grades
Author: Snow, Catherine E.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Emergent Literacy,Young Children,Reading Skills,Vocabulary Development,Achievement Tests,Foreign Countries,Grade 4,International Assessment,Reading Tests,Reading Achievement,National Competency Tests,Reading Fluency,Reading Programs,Elementary School Students,Barriers,Teaching Methods,Curriculum,At Risk Students,Early Childhood Education

How does literacy develop in children's early years, and what programs or practices promote adequate literacy for all children? These are the questions Catherine Snow and Timothy Matthews tackle in this article. Fundamental literacy skills can be grouped into two categories, Snow and Matthews write. The first category is &quot;constrained&quot; skills, which are readily teachable because they're finite: for example, the 26 letters of the alphabet, or a set of 20 to 30 common spelling rules. These skills have a ceiling; young children can and do achieve perfect performance. As they grow older, though, children need to understand words rarely encountered in spoken language and to integrate new information they encounter with relevant background information. Vocabulary and background knowledge are examples of &quot;unconstrained&quot; skills-- large domains of knowledge acquired gradually through experience. Unconstrained skills are particularly important for children's long-term literacy success (that is, success in outcomes measured after third grade). Compared to constrained skills, they're also more strongly predicted by children's social class or their parents' education, and more difficult to teach in the classroom. And because of their open-ended nature, unconstrained skills are also much harder to test for. Snow and Matthews write that a drop in literacy scores we see as US children move from elementary to middle school suggests that our schools may be focusing too much on constrained skills--and too little on unconstrained ones--in the early grades. The authors review promising programs and practices for enhancing both constrained and unconstrained skills, ranging from comprehensive school-improvement programs to efforts to improve curricula and teachers' professional development--although they note that vast differences in programs' scope, cost, targets, and theories of change make comparing them difficult. Another challenge is that it's hard to maintain quality and consistency when implementing complex programs over time. Snow and Matthews suggest that to improve young children's success with literacy, it might be better to introduce and evaluate promising practices that can be mixed and matched, rather than complex programs that are implemented as a package.
Math, Science, and Technology in the Early Grades
Author: Clements, Douglas H.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: STEM Education,Preschool Education,Kindergarten,Skill Development,Play,Barriers,Mathematics Skills,Thinking Skills,Mathematics Instruction,Science Instruction,Program Effectiveness,Teaching Methods,Curriculum Development,Competence,Engineering,Technology

Do young children naturally develop the foundations of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)? And if so, should we build on these foundations by using STEM curricula in preschools? In this article, Douglas Clements and Julie Sarama argue that the answer to both these questions is yes. First, the authors show that young children possess a sophisticated informal knowledge of math, and that they frequently ask scientific questions, such as &quot;why&quot; questions. Preschoolers' free play involves substantial amounts of foundational math as they explore patterns, shapes, and spatial relations; compare magnitudes; and count objects. Moreover, preschool and kindergarten children's knowledge of and interest in math and science predicts later success in STEM. And not only in STEM: the authors show that early math knowledge also predicts later reading achievement--even better than early literacy skills do. Thus mathematical thinking, Clements and Sarama say, may be cognitively foundational. That is, the thinking and reasoning inherent in math may contribute broadly to cognitive development. Is teaching STEM subjects to preschool children effective? The authors review several successful programs. They emphasize that STEM learning for young children must encompass more than facts or simple skills; rather, the classroom should be infused with interesting, appropriate opportunities to engage in math and science. And instruction should follow research-based learning trajectories that include three components: a goal, a developmental progression, and instructional activities. Clements and Sarama also discuss barriers to STEM teaching in preschool, such as the cultural belief in the United States that math achievement largely depends on native aptitude or ability, and inadequate professional development for teachers.
Neuroscientific Insights: Attention, Working Memory, and Inhibitory Control
Author: Raver, C. Cybele
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Attention,Short Term Memory,Inhibition,Executive Function,Cognitive Development,Thinking Skills,Emotional Intelligence,Intervention,Preschool Education,Primary Education

In this article, Cybele Raver and Clancy Blair explore a group of cognitive processes called executive function (EF)--including the flexible control of attention, the ability to hold information through working memory, and the ability to maintain inhibitory control. EF processes are crucial for young children's learning. On the one hand, they can help students control their anxiety when they face challenging academic tasks. On the other, these same processes can be undermined when children experience chronically stressful situations--for example, poverty, homelessness, and neighborhood crime. Such adverse early experiences interfere with children's development of EF, hampering their ability to manage challenging situations. Through both behavioral examples and empirical evidence, Raver and Blair illustrate how children's cognitive development is intertwined with EF. They show how children's regulation of higher-order thinking is related to the regulation of emotion--in both top-down and bottom-up fashion--and they review research on early brain development, EF and emotion regulation, and children's academic performance. They also examine the efficacy of educational interventions that target EF and of integrated interventions that target both emotional and cognitive regulation. What does our understanding of EF imply for policy in pre-K-3 education? First, write Raver and Blair, to help young children learn, school districts need data not only on their academic readiness but also on key dimensions of EF. Second, we already have interventions that can at least partially close the gap in neurocognitive function and academic achievement between children who face multiple types of adversity and those who don't. In the long run, though, they argue, the best way to help these children is to invest in programs that reduce their exposure to chronic severe stress.
The Major Factors That Influence Basic School Dropout in Rural Ghana: The Case of Asunafo South District in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana
Author: Adam, Saeed
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Rural Schools,At Risk Students,Sustainable Development,Dropouts,Mixed Methods Research,Student Attitudes,Parent Attitudes,Administrator Attitudes,Questionnaires,Focus Groups,Interviews,Participant Observation,School Districts,Teacher Attitudes,Punishment,Parent Influence,Poverty,Records (Forms),Environmental Influences,Social Influences,Barriers

Education is a key to the realization of most of the goals and targets of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Education as a development tool is upheld by most development theorist as essential in the progression of every society. However, in recent times school dropout has become a serious canker in Ghanaian societies, especially in the rural areas. Based on this backdrop, the study sought to ascertain the major influencing factors affecting basic school dropout in rural Ghana, Asunafo South District of Ghana, a critical study of the Asunafo South District in the Brong Ahafo Region. This study employed both qualitative and quantitative research strategies in analyzing the findings of the study. The design of the study was a cross-sectional research design which involves the retrieving of data from study participants, mostly from multiple groups, thus; dropouts, their parents, head teachers, head of Educational Management Information System (EMIS) department and the District Education Director. Data was gathered through questionnaires, focus group discussions, interviews and participant observation. The data collected were analysed through both quantitative and qualitative means. The study found that poverty, child labour, teenage pregnancy and distance to school are the major causes of dropout in the Asunafo South District. It was also found that teacher's attitude, corporal punishment, death and sickness of parents lead to dropouts in schools. It is therefore recommended that, there should be poverty reduction strategies in the development of appropriate policies and intervention strategies to help poor people improve their livelihood. The paper also recommends that education campaigns should be intensified throughout the country. Public sensitization about the value and importance of education should be strengthened. The study again recommends that, the government should treat the school dropout issue seriously and make national education plans to assist the poor continue with their studies. Interventions by educational policy makers, the Government, NGOs, etc. to reduce dropout rate should not be focused on only female pupils but also on male pupils as well.
Study the Current and Optimal Status of Teaching Environment at High Schools with Emphasis on Curriculum Experts' and Teachers' Viewpoints
Author: Parishani, Neda
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Teaching Conditions,High Schools,Secondary School Teachers,Curriculum,Expertise,Teacher Attitudes,Mixed Methods Research,Semi Structured Interviews,Teaching Methods,Blended Learning,Factor Analysis

The purpose of present research was to study the current and optimal status of teaching environment at high schools in Iran with emphasis on curriculum experts and teachers' viewpoints. Research method was mixed method. In the qualitative part, experts' viewpoints were gathered through a semi-structured interview. In the quantitative part, 258 high school teachers were selected randomly as statistical sample and a researcher-made questionnaire was distributed among them to collect data. Content validity was used to determine the questionnaire validity, and its reliability was calculated at 0.90, using Cronbach at alpha coefficient. Findings showed that, according to experts' viewpoints, status of teaching environment at high schools is not desirable. Also, findings suggest that the best teaching method for environment in Iran is a blended-electronic, project-oriented, teaching practical skills in open spaces. Iranian teachers chose teaching methods to teach environmental not only to promote their knowledge but also affect the attitude and skills of environmental protection and creating environmental conduct.