ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Understanding a Pakistani Science Teacher's Practice through a Life History Study
Author: Halai, Nelofer
Date: 2011-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Females,Scientific Principles,Intimacy,Biographies,Science Teachers,Ethics,Teacher Attitudes,Interviews,Researchers,Case Studies,Observation,Foreign Countries,Science Instruction

The purpose of the single case life history study was to understand a female science teacher's conceptions of the nature of science as explicit in her practice. While this paper highlights these understandings, an additional purpose is to give a detailed account of the process of creating a life history account through more than 13 in-depth interviews. It includes a discussion of what the author calls composite observations where the observations of the teacher and the researcher are presented as a single unified story. Also discussed are ethical issues specific to life history created due to the intimacy created by such a study that required the development of a great deal of trust and rapport.
Philosophical Roots of Classical Grounded Theory: Its Foundations in Symbolic Interactionism
Author: Aldiabat, Khaldoun M.
Date: 2011-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Grounded Theory,Qualitative Research,Self Concept,Perspective Taking,Philosophy,Behavioral Science Research,Nursing Research,Smoking,College Students

Although many researchers have discussed the historical relationship between the Grounded Theory methodology and Symbolic Interactionism, they have not clearly articulated the congruency of their salient concepts and assumptions. The purpose of this paper is to provide a thorough discussion of this congruency. A hypothetical example about smoking among college students is included in this paper to illustrate this relationship. This paper will be useful for qualitative researchers who seek a fuller understanding of how the assumptions and concepts provided by Symbolic Interactionism can inform the researcher who adopts a Grounded Theory methodology to investigate human behaviour. The relevance of this congruency for nursing researchers is discussed. (Contains 1 table.)
Insights into Attempts at Using Action Research in a Collaborative Work in a Policy Review Exercise in Botswana
Author: Koosimile, Anthony Tsatsing
Date: 2011-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Qualitative Research,Educational Research,Action Research,Research Methodology,Foreign Countries,Policy Formation,Educational Policy,Political Influences,Cooperation

In this paper I embrace the thinking that writing on one's experiences in the use of qualitative educational research strategies and principles could potentially contribute to furthering knowledge in the field. In adopting an action research framework to guide collaborative work in a policy review exercise in Botswana, I found that collaborative work is itself a challenge. Similarly, given the political nature of policy formulation, significant effort and attention is required to facilitate broader reflection and debate on the adoption and use of qualitative research strategies in policy matters in Botswana. Generally my experience suggests that the strictures of underlying political life could be a powerful framework that profoundly shapes and constrains the perspectives and choices in policy review. I conclude with some statements concerning some lessons learnt during the policy review exercise.
Interpreting Community Accountability: Citizen Views of Responding to Domestic Violence (or Not)
Author: Hess, Jacob Z.
Date: 2011-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Family Violence,Community Role,Accountability,Disclosure,Interviews,Beliefs,Surveys,Ethics,Hermeneutics,Victims

In spite of common public condemnations of domestic violence, survey research suggests that citizens aware of actual abuse often believe they cannot or should not personally respond. Through in-depth interviews with 20 local citizens across the political spectrum, we sought to explore this dynamic more carefully by better understanding community interpretations of domestic violence and its appropriate response. This paper explores ten specific views identified in these interviews as potentially relevant to citizen action (or inaction) in response to known abuse. After examining subtle consequences of each belief, we explore broader implications for community mobilization and propose several ways of facilitating a more thoughtful and extensive deliberation about domestic violence among the general public. (Contains 2 tables and 4 footnotes.)
Science Instructors' Views of Science and Nature of Science
Author: Karakas, Mehmet
Date: 2011-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Faculty,Science Teachers,Scientific Principles,Scientific Attitudes,Science Education,Biology,Earth Science,Chemistry,Physics,Interviews

This qualitative study examined how college science faculty who teach introductory level undergraduate science courses including the fields of chemistry, biology, physics, and earth science, understand and define science and nature of science (NOS). Participants were seventeen science instructors from five different institutions in the northeastern U.S. and all of them were interviewed. Consistent with previous research, the findings revealed that the participants in this study held sophisticated and complex conceptions of NOS. In some instances their views were in line with the views promoted by science philosophers, and in other instances their views were more mixed and naive. Findings show that engaging in scientific inquiry is not enough to ensure informed conceptions of NOS. (Contains 1 table.)
Online Dynamic Asynchronous Audit Strategy for Reflexivity in the Qualitative Paradigm
Author: LaBanca, Frank
Date: 2011-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Qualitative Research,Electronic Publishing,Web Sites,Audits (Verification),Credibility,Reflection,Metacognition,Concept Formation,Interaction,Decision Making,Asynchronous Communication,Case Studies

The trustworthiness of a qualitative study can be increased by maintaining high credibility and objectivity. Of utmost importance to these factors is the reflexivity of the researcher. Standard journaling techniques are frequently used to maintain an audit trail and document tentative interpretations of a study. One of the major limitations to paper-based reflexivity is the lack of regular audit feedback. Online blogging tools can facilitate reflexivity and subsequent auditing with ease. Blogs are potentially cost-free, and only a rudimentary understanding of a web browser and word processing program are necessary for effective use. Moreover, blogs provide a simple, contiguous interface for an effective auditing process. An analysis of a reflexivity blog and subsequent audits is examined here. Findings indicate that the multiple perspectives of the auditors gave additional insights and that might not normally be considered by a researcher, providing a multi-arrayed perspective to interpretation of a study data set.
How to Conduct Clinical Qualitative Research on the Patient's Experience
Author: Chenail, Ronald J.
Date: 2011-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Grounded Theory,Research Needs,Qualitative Research,Quality of Life,Ethnography,Primary Health Care,Patients,Phenomenology,Health Services,Diseases,Personal Narratives

From a perspective of patient-centered healthcare, exploring patients' (a) preconceptions, (b) treatment experiences, (c) quality of life, (d) satisfaction, (e) illness understandings, and (f) design are all critical components in improving primary health care and research. Utilizing qualitative approaches to discover patients' experiences can provide valuable information for practitioners and investigators alike. In this paper, the author describes how researchers can select from among five major qualitative designs (i.e., primary qualitative research, qualitative evaluation, collaborative inquiry, mixed method, and qualitative meta-study) and five preeminent qualitative methodologies (i.e., descriptive, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, and narrative) to create studies to meet their patient-centered research needs.
Slipping the Yoke of the Heroic Paradigm: Looking for Quantum Leadership
Author: Lazaridou, Angeliki
Date: 2008-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Group Activities,Models,Transformational Leadership,Leadership,Locus of Control,Educational Change,Decision Making

In this paper we argue that understandings and practice of leadership continues to be constrained by adherence to the "heroic" image, even in depictions of distributed and transformational leadership. We advocate making space for quantum leadership, those instances of direction-setting that emanate from the demos rather than its representatives. We present quantum leadership as resulting from the un-choreographed interactions of individuals anywhere in a group--many nudges that, in the aggregate, determine the direction of group activities and dispositions. It is leadership regulated not by bureaucratic control structures but decisions by individuals as to how they will interact with others. It is a type of leadership that has been overshadowed by the heroic paradigm. (Contains 4 figures and 1 table.)
Behind Cultural Competence: The Role of Causal Attribution in Multicultural Teacher Education
Author: Yang, Yan
Date: 2011-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teacher Education,Attribution Theory,Preservice Teachers,Multicultural Education,Cultural Awareness,Achievement Need,Motivation,Multivariate Analysis,Correlation,Interpersonal Competence,Public Colleges,Likert Scales,Schematic Studies

In an attempt to bridge the gap between achievement motivation and multicultural teacher education, this study explored the relationship between causal attribution of cultural awareness and cultural competence among preservice teachers. Participants were 793 preservice teachers from two large public universities who reported their causal attributions of cultural awareness and their cultural competence. Canonical correlation analysis results showed two significant relationships between causal attribution and cultural competence. Personal control over the causes of cultural awareness was found to be positively related to praxis, i.e., behavioral outcome; whereas attributions to internal and stable causes were positively associated with knowledge as major components of cultural competence. The findings indicate the importance of addressing causal attribution and moving beyond negative emotions in enhancing preservice teachers' cultural competence in multicultural education. Implications for multicultural teacher education and future research directions are discussed. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)
High School Dropouts Returning to Study: The Influence of the Teacher and Family during Secondary School
Author: Whannell, Robert
Date: 2011-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Attitudes,Dropouts,Family Relationship,Social Environment,Educational Experience,Academic Achievement,Family Influence,Secondary School Teachers,Teacher Influence,Questionnaires,Access to Education,Higher Education,Teacher Student Relationship,Outcomes of Education,Correlation,Reentry Students

This study investigated the influence of the teacher and family relationships during secondary school for 18 to 22 year old students who had dropped out of secondary school and were attempting to gain access to tertiary study through a tertiary bridging program at a regional university. 144 students from two student cohorts completed a questionnaire intended to facilitate an understanding of how social context influenced secondary school attrition. It was identified that students who had not completed secondary school reported significantly lower levels of emotional engagement with school and poorer relationships with teachers. The study concluded that the residential situation and the quality of student-teacher relationships influenced the quality of the academic outcomes achieved in secondary school, with the student-teacher relationship being the dominant factor. It was also concluded that, while secondary school completion was significantly lower for students who did not reside with both parents, the family situation was not predictive of school completion. Rather, it is hypothesised that the wider contextual problems associated with family dysfunction which manifest in a poor school experience were the cause of the failure to complete secondary school. The implications for secondary school and tertiary bridging educators are discussed. (Contains 7 tables.)
Investigative Primary Science: A Problem-Based Learning Approach
Author: Etherington, Matthew B.
Date: 2011-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teacher Education,Elementary School Teachers,Teacher Education Programs,Science Programs,Problem Based Learning,Foreign Countries,Teaching Methods,Science Curriculum,Course Descriptions,Teacher Motivation

This study reports on the success of using a problem-based learning approach (PBL) as a pedagogical mode of learning open inquiry science within a traditional four-year undergraduate elementary teacher education program. In 2010, a problem-based learning approach to teaching primary science replaced the traditional content driven syllabus. During the 13 week semester, a cohort of 150 elementary pre-service teachers embarked on a Design and Make project to solve an individually chosen real world problem. Over one week, the pre-service teachers used a problem based mode of learning in conjunction with an open scientific inquiry to showcase individual working models (prototypes) in a public science museum to schools, interested stakeholders and the general public. The PBL mode of teaching science was well suited to the recommended New South Wales Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus Design and Make learning process. The PBL course had a positive impact on the pre-service teachers' motivation to teach science ideas within a real world context. This article reports on the PBL science program and offers recommendations to future instructors of undergraduate science education who may include PBL as a part of their science curriculum. (Contains 3 tables and 3 figures.)
Boys Only: One Co-Educational Primary School's Experience of a Classroom for Boys
Author: Price, Christopher D.
Date: 2011-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Males,Interpersonal Competence,Low Achievement,Interviews,Questionnaires,Case Studies,Elementary School Students,Reading Skills,Teacher Effectiveness,Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Parent Attitudes,Administrator Attitudes,Student Needs,Single Sex Classes

Concern over retention of boys as well as poor academic performance and behaviour, in a New Zealand co-educational primary school, led the school to trial, a &quot;boys-only class&quot;. This case study reports interview and questionnaire commentary obtained at the beginning and end of the year from the principal, the teacher, pupils and parents, to consider outcomes for male pupils at this school, in regard to learning and social behaviour. The commentary was generally positive, with an emphasis on the gains made in reading and social skills. Findings also suggest that a significant feature in learning progress of children was the teacher--a committed teacher delivering a classroom programme and environment to meet the particular needs of boys in this class.
International Field Experience--What Do Student Teachers Learn?
Author: Lee, Jackie Fung King
Date: 2011-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Teachers,Metalinguistics,Cultural Awareness,Foreign Countries,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Field Experience Programs,Immersion Programs,Reflection,Interviews,Program Evaluation,Teaching Skills,Classroom Techniques,International Educational Exchange,Teacher Exchange Programs,Study Abroad,English Teachers,Program Effectiveness

This inquiry aimed to examine the benefits of having international field experience for a group of Hong Kong postgraduate student teachers who joined a six-week immersion programme in New Zealand. Through participants' reflections, interviews and programme evaluations, the present investigation found that the overseas field experience not only enriched their cultural understanding, pedagogical knowledge and skills, but also enhanced their language awareness, classroom language and recognition of different English varieties. (Contains 2 tables.)
A Cross Sectional Study of Pre-Service Teacher Efficacy throughout the Training Years
Author: Woodcock, Stuart
Date: 2011-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Teacher Effectiveness,Self Efficacy,Case Studies,Preservice Teacher Education,Elementary School Teachers,Secondary School Teachers,Foreign Countries

Teachers' judgments in their ability to motivate students and promote learning can play a vital role in determining a student's performance in the classroom and once a belief has been held for a long time, it can become difficult to change. Utilising a sample of 467 beginner and final year pre-service teachers training to become primary (elementary) and secondary teachers, the aim of this study was to examine to what extent pre-service teachers' level of teacher efficacy changed during their teacher training years. Results showed that the training courses for primary school teachers appeared to have no influence on teacher efficacy levels. Moreover, the results demonstrate that for secondary school pre-service teachers, the training courses increased their general teacher efficacy levels, however, decreased their personal teacher efficacy levels. The findings have implications for teacher training programs and future research. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)
Teacher Classroom Behaviour Management Preparation in Undergraduate Primary Education in Australia: A Web-Based Investigation
Author: O'Neill, Sue C.
Date: 2011-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teacher Education,Required Courses,Teacher Education Programs,Elementary School Teachers,Foreign Countries,Classroom Techniques,Student Behavior,Internet,Units of Study,Online Searching,Educational Research,Disabilities,Inclusion

Classroom behaviour management is an essential skill required by all teacher graduates to facilitate instruction in curriculum content. This article describes the classroom behaviour management (CBM) content on offer in Australian undergraduate primary education programs. To date, no nationwide studies exist that report the CBM instruction on offer in pre-service teacher education programs. Thirty-five primary teacher preparation programs were reviewed. Thirty programs (85.7%) contained mandatory course-work in CBM, 108 units contained relevant content, 33 of those were stand-alone CBM units (30.6%). More units were found with CBM content embedded within methods or inclusion units than stand-alone CBM units. The mean hours of CBM instruction per mandatory stand-alone unit was 31.46 hours, 25.5 for stand-alone electives, and 2.3 hours within embedded units. The content of CBM units is reported as well as the research interests of the unit convenors and instructors. Implications of the major findings are discussed. (Contains 4 tables.)
Leading and Supporting Mathematics Teacher Change: The Case of Teaching and Learning Coaches
Author: Anstey, Leonie
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Change,Mathematics Teachers,Educational Improvement,Change Agents,Faculty Development,Coaching (Performance),Mathematics Achievement

There is growing interest in the use of coaching to lead and support teacher learning in mathematics. Current initiatives include a large scale systemic initiative in Victoria--Teaching and Learning Coaches Initiative (TaLC). The purpose and intention is to provide intensive assistance to identified schools to bring about change in classroom practices that are necessary to improve student outcomes and build teacher capabilities. In this paper, the literature on coaching is discussed and research findings presented from a study involving fifteen coaches from regional Victoria. (Contains 3 tables and 9 figures.)
Leading Mathematics Reform and the Lost Opportunity
Author: Lamb, Janeen
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Elementary School Teachers,Curriculum Development,National Curriculum,Program Implementation,Mathematics Education,Educational Change,Instructional Leadership

Queensland's primary school teachers have experienced change in every Key Learning Area in the last few years. This avalanche of curriculum reform is set to continue as schools prepare for the imminent release of the Australian national curriculum. This article reports on one school's approach to dealing with this avalanche of curriculum reform. Results indicate lost opportunity for curriculum reform in mathematics as the Principal chose not to prioritise mathematics reform, adopting a managerial or &quot;power-over&quot; approach to school leadership. (Contains 1 figure.)
Leadership to Improve Mathematics Outcomes in Low SES Schools and School Networks
Author: Vale, Colleen
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mathematics Achievement,Instructional Leadership,Principals,Transformational Leadership,Rural Schools,Participative Decision Making,Educational Improvement,Outcomes of Education,Socioeconomic Status,Low Income,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Mathematics Teachers,Faculty Development,Coaching (Performance)

Instructional and transformational leadership is reportedly required to improve the mathematics outcomes of students in low socio-economic status school communities. This study of 43 schools in two networks of schools in rural Victoria explored leadership practices and found evidence to support both these leadership approaches along with distributed leadership practice. School leaders established network and school structures and relationships at various levels of the network and school organisation to enable and support ongoing improvement in teachers' pedagogical content knowledge and teaching practice and to build the leadership capacity of teachers within their schools. The leaders' knowledge of effective mathematics teaching practice enabled them to mentor teachers in their school or team and to support the practices of professional learning teams within their school. (Contains 3 figures and 5 footnotes.)
Sustaining Improvement in Numeracy: Developing Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Leadership Capabilities in Tandem
Author: Gaffney, Michael
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Educational Improvement,Numeracy,Sustainability,Teacher Effectiveness,Instructional Leadership,Leadership Effectiveness,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Teacher Leadership,Principals,Mathematics Achievement

Sustainable improvement in student learning achievement in numeracy requires a deliberate focus on two complementary strands of educational endeavour: the practice of effective teaching of mathematics and the exercise of high level school leadership capabilities. In this article, the authors describe the context and findings from their research in schools in low socioeconomic communities in suburban, regional and remote areas of Australia. The research project, Leading Aligned Numeracy Development (LAND), investigates the nature and relationship between the development of teachers' pedagogical content knowledge in mathematics and the exercise of educational leadership by principals and teacher leaders (as members of school based teams), and the consequences of this interplay for student learning achievement in numeracy. Preliminary findings indicate that sustained improvement in numeracy demands a concerted and strategic focus on identifying, developing and supporting effective teacher leaders in order to embed authoritative and agreed pedagogical principles for the teaching of mathematics at the school level. Further, the study has found that successful school leadership teams (including principals, other school executive and teacher leaders) are able to maintain this focus through developing their own pedagogical content knowledge, while continuing to build community, organise for teaching and learning, and inspire vision in their school settings. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)