ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Portfolio Assignments in Teacher Education: A Tool for Self-Regulating the Learning Process?
Author: Strijbos, Jetske
Date: 2007-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Undergraduate Students,Preservice Teachers,Preservice Teacher Education,Portfolios (Background Materials),Assignments,Self Management,Questionnaires,Likert Scales,Outcomes of Education,Scores,Self Evaluation (Individuals),Learning Processes,Goal Orientation,Student Educational Objectives,Case Studies,Student Experience,Secondary Education,Reflection

This study examines the effects of a portfolio programme on self-regulation--and thus among third year students of teacher education training to be secondary school teachers. Data collection was by means of self-reporting before, during and after the portfolio programme and via perception questionnaires. The study indicates a significant increase in self-regulation. The portfolio programme therefore improves students' capacity to go through their learning process independently, although the analysis also shows that the rising score with respect to the construct &quot;self-regulation&quot; stems from the increase of only one sub-scale (regulation). The comparison of the students' own opinions with those of the portfolio supervisors also reveals the weak links in the self-regulation cycle. Students have difficulty evaluating and re-orientating their learning process. It also appears that students do not set and/or implement new objectives themselves, which means that they cannot regulate their own learning process on a completely independent basis because they have not thoroughly mastered all the components of the self-regulation cycle.
Assessing the Gains from Concept Mapping in Introductory Statistics
Author: Doorn, David
Date: 2007-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Students,Business Administration Education,Required Courses,Introductory Courses,Statistics,Concept Mapping,Active Learning,Instructional Effectiveness,Teaching Methods,Comparative Analysis,Outcomes of Education,Pretests Posttests,Study Habits,Evidence,Statistical Analysis,Effect Size

In an effort to improve active learning in introductory statistics, we introduce the use of concept mapping techniques as part of the course. While previous papers have touted the use of this and other interactive teaching methods in statistics education, we add to this literature by providing additional assessment of its efficacy. This comes through an experimental design that involves a single instructor teaching two sections of the same statistics course over the same semester. Both cover the same material in the same way with the exception that concept mapping is used in one section, but not the other. Assessment of learning outcomes is done through the use of pre-tests and post-tests of understanding of statistical concepts. We also track changes in student's study habits over the semester through additional surveys. We find only weak evidence that concept mapping is effective in aiding student learning of statistics.
Engendering the Scholarship of Problem-Based Learning
Author: Palmer, Betsy
Date: 2007-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Scholarship,Problem Based Learning,Teaching Methods,College Faculty,Semi Structured Interviews,Content Analysis,Instructional Innovation,Case Studies,Teacher Attitudes,Educational Change,Educational Research

In this case-based research article, we describe how the implementation an instructional method, problem-based learning, across disciplines at a single institution stimulated scholarship on teaching among the faculty involved in the project. We conducted interviews with 30 participating faculty and administrators and triangulated these data with a document analysis of project documents, course portfolios, meeting minutes, and the project Web site. Our institutional-level analysis focuses on the campus environment and how it supported and/or constricted the scholarship of teaching across campus. At the faculty-level, we describe faculty perceptions about and experiences with producing scholarship on their own teaching.
Getting Started with SoTL in Your Classroom
Author: Francis, Raymond
Date: 2007-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Scholarship,Instruction,Learning,Teaching Methods,Teacher Effectiveness,Preservice Teacher Education,Concept Mapping,Spreadsheets

The synthesis of the principles of SoTL into a process to be used in the classroom is an important part of scholarship. This work reviews foundation information related to SoTL and combines ideas from multiple authors into a manageable vision. In addition, the author identifies a tentative seven-step process for use in an individual classroom, and shares a classroom example of the use of SoTL to improve an individual's practice. The specific classroom example is used to demonstrate both the process of SoTL and reinforce the foundation and expectations of SoTL in the professional community.
Developing On-Line Collaborative Research across International Boundaries: Exploring the Potential of New Technologies
Author: Jefferies, Pat
Date: 2007-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Research,International Cooperation,Computer Mediated Communication,Asynchronous Communication,Educational Researchers,Barriers,Foreign Countries,College Faculty,Computer Science Education,Ethical Instruction,Undergraduate Students,Virtual Classrooms,Student Surveys

The development of on-line research practice across international boundaries is now a viable proposition using available asynchronous technologies such as computer conferencing. As has been reported in previous papers (Grodzinsky, et al, 2002; Griffin, et al, 2002) such use has proved to be extremely valuable for supporting the teaching of computing and ethics. However, asynchronous computer conferencing not only offers new opportunities for teaching and for supporting students, it also offers a valuable resource to researchers. Taking advantage of such opportunity must, of course, address a number of issues. Prime amongst these are concerns as to how to overcome the variety of barriers that are likely to be encountered in establishing effective research collaboration within a text-based virtual environment. This paper will, therefore, outline how such research collaboration was initiated across international boundaries as well as providing an overview of the activity undertaken. The primary goal of this paper is, therefore, to illustrate both the challenges and benefits of undertaking on-line research collaboration.
Value Drivers in Business Course Design: A Student Stakeholder Perspective
Author: Knight, John
Date: 2007-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Stakeholders,Course Organization,Business Administration Education,Curriculum Design,Design Preferences,Demography,Classification,Statistical Analysis,Correlation,Program Implementation,Teacher Role,Student Interests,Student Attitudes,College Students,Student Surveys

As one of the important stakeholders in the academic process, students and their preferences should be considered when the instructor selects the various course design features. Although students are not the only stakeholders in the academic process, their receptiveness to classroom instruction is clearly a central focus of that process. This paper examines a large sample of business student data on their preferences with respect to fourteen controllable course design features. The preferences are examined in light of their relative ranked importance and relative intensity. Additionally, the data is examined in light of potential differences in student preferences relative to various demographics. The paper summarizes the ranked contributions of different course design features from a student perspective. These findings should assist instructors in designing course parameters to meet student considerations without compromising an instructor's personal choice and academic freedom.
Exploring Reflective Engagement That Promotes Understanding in College Classrooms
Author: Zengaro, Franco
Date: 2007-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Students,Learner Engagement,Reflective Teaching,Teaching Methods,Classroom Communication,Questioning Techniques,Active Learning,Writing Instruction,Writing (Composition),Observation,Grounded Theory,Essays,Statistical Analysis

This study investigated student engagement in class discussions in a university-level, literature-based writing class. The research questions were 1) Does multiple-source learning provide a new lens for the observation of reflective teaching and learning practices? 2) Is there evidence that shows that the practices adopted by one teacher actually relied on and fostered this kind of thinking among students, and if so, what were those practices? The participants were 22 university students and their instructor, chosen because of the instructor's interest in improving class discussions. Data were collected over one semester through videotapes, formal and informal interviews, and class documents and were analyzed using constant comparison. Results showed the instructor facilitated student engagement through probing questions. The instructor's use of symbolism, metaphors, and experiences within this class were teaching tools aimed not at fostering domain-specific, elaborative, one-right-answer interpretations but rather at recruiting multiple sources for creating multiple cross-domain perspectives.
Cognitive Computer Tools in the Teaching and Learning of Undergraduate Calculus
Author: Borchelt, Nathan
Date: 2007-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Calculus,Mathematics Instruction,College Mathematics,Computer Uses in Education,Educational Technology,Cooperative Learning,Cognitive Processes,Difficulty Level,Questionnaires,Assignments,Group Discussion,Video Technology,Coding,Thinking Skills,Problem Solving,Undergraduate Students,Ethnography,Participant Observation,Semi Structured Interviews

The purpose of this study was to explore the use of a cognitive computer tool by undergraduate calculus students as they worked cooperatively on mathematical tasks. Specific attention was given to levels of cognitive demand in which the students were engaged as they completed in-class labs with the assistance of MathCAD. Participants were assigned to eight heterogeneous working groups consisting of four students each. One group was chosen as the focus of the case study. Data included student questionnaires, individual interviews, assignments, audio transcriptions of student discussions, and video recordings. Open and axial coding was used to analyze the data. Participants believed that the use of MathCAD allowed them to explore mathematics, spend more time on interpreting results, and focus on understanding. The cognitive computer tool reduced the reliance on low-level thinking skills and allowed for creativity in problem solving, permitting students to move toward high levels of thinking.
Qualitative Research on What Leads to Success in Professional Writing
Author: Walters, Margaret
Date: 2007-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Qualitative Research,College Students,Writing Achievement,Writing (Composition),Writing for Publication,Technical Writing,Business Communication,Advanced Students,Success,Mastery Learning,Literary Genres,Writing Processes,Rhetoric,Intellectual Disciplines,Discourse Communities,Metacognition,Career Education,Persistence,Prior Learning,Focus Groups

This article examines the experiences of advanced students and of graduates in a nontraditional MA in professional writing program to discover how faculty may assure student success in professional writing occupations. The study investigates the knowledge domains and habits of mind that foster student success in writing. The research is the collaborative effort of three rhetoric and composition specialists. Their research discovered that successful writers (1) define success as gaining a response from readers; (2) master six knowledge domains--genre, writing process, rhetorical, subject matter, discourse community, and metacognitive knowledge; (3) put their knowledge into action through eight similar habits of mind--persevering, embracing learning, attempting challenges, responding positively to critique, engaging in collaboration, understanding how to write in complicated contexts, and engaging in metacognition; and (4) acquire these abilities from a range of personal, professional, and academic experiences.
Reader's Response: Response to K. Hornsby's &quot;Developing and Assessing Undergraduate Students' Moral Reasoning Skills&quot;
Author: Payne, Carla
Date: 2008-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reader Response,Thinking Skills,Undergraduate Students,Moral Values,Skill Development,Values Clarification,Teaching Methods,Ethical Instruction

In this brief response, Carla Payne comments on Karen Hornsby's &quot;Developing and Assessing Undergraduate Students' Moral Reasoning Skills&quot; (EJ1137006). Payne agrees with Hornsby's statement that the development of &quot;moral reasoning skills&quot; is a very desirable outcome for an ethics course, yet takes issue with Hornsby not sticking with her stated goal: &quot;not to change or alter students' moral positions but provide them with the tools to reflectively endorse their views and to evaluate the consistency of their positions.&quot; Payne notes that this would be consistent with the objectives of any philosophy course, but there is an essential equivocation in Hornsby's actual discussion about what it is possible or appropriate to teach in such a course. She goes on to point out that Hornsby's final decision to focus exclusively on virtue ethics also carries with it an implicit endorsement which subverts the critical stance.
The Impact of the &quot;All-of-the-Above&quot; Option and Student Ability on Multiple Choice Tests
Author: Huang, Yi-Min
Date: 2007-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Multiple Choice Tests,Educational Testing,Ability Grouping,Test Format,Test Items,College Students,Questioning Techniques,Statistical Significance,Scores,Comparative Analysis,Academic Ability,Academic Achievement,Statistical Analysis

Despite the prevalence of multiple choice items in educational testing, there is a dearth of empirical evidence for multiple choice item writing rules. The purpose of this study was to expand the base of empirical evidence by examining the use of the &quot;all-of-the-above&quot; option in a multiple choice examination in order to assess how different student ability groups would respond to this particular alternative. Ten experimentally manipulated items were generated with &quot;all-of-the-above&quot; as one of the options and were incorporated into three different test formats. Test formats were randomly distributed to university students in the study. The test scores in these test formats were compared as well as the experimentally manipulated items. Results showed that when &quot;all-of-the-above&quot; is used as the correct answer, the item is more difficult for all students, despite the literature assumption that it provides a cueing effect to students. Research findings corroborate literature assumptions that high ability students score significantly higher than other ability students in this type of option.
Exploring Staff Perceptions: Early Childhood Teacher Educators Examine Online Teaching and Learning Challenges and Dilemmas
Author: Davis, Julie
Date: 2007-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Early Childhood Education,Preschool Teachers,Online Courses,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Teacher Attitudes,Foreign Countries,Online Surveys,Likert Scales,Qualitative Research,College Faculty,Teacher Educators,Attitude Measures

Early Childhood teacher educators at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) have been engaging with online teaching and learning since the mid 1990s. On campus students have lectures and tutorials supported by information and communication technologies via QUT's home grown learning management system, Online Learning and Teaching (OLT). We surveyed academic staff to identify their perceptions of online provision. Of significance were issues around transmission, constructivism, and interactivity, especially for external students, with a perceived preference amongst all students for knowledge transmission. There are also constraints for staff, specifically the technological limitations of the learning management system and our own limitations as online curriculum developers. The findings of this study suggest a need to develop staff capacity to work more effectively in an online environment and to consider the efficacy of blended approaches to teaching and learning.
Social Issues Surrounding the Adolescent with Asperger Syndrome: Perceptions of Parents and Teachers
Author: Hurlbutt, Karen
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Qualitative Research,Asperger Syndrome,Case Studies,Parent Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Interpersonal Competence,Rural Areas,Interviews,Peer Relationship,Social Environment,Peer Acceptance

The purpose of this qualitative study, a focused case study of a community, was to investigate the perceptions and experiences of three parents and three teachers regarding social issues of adolescents with Asperger Syndrome (AS). The study revealed that, in this small, rural community, students with AS are supported by their peers, appear to be content with who they are, and the parents and teachers foster a positive social climate that promotes acceptance and understanding.
The Effect of Embossed Picture Technique on Reading Performance of Learners with Hearing Impairments: A Case of Kambui School for the Deaf
Author: Munyendo, Sella
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Hearing Impairments,Deafness,Teaching Methods,Reading Instruction,Instructional Effectiveness,Performance Based Assessment,Severity (of Disability),Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Tactile Adaptation,Pretests Posttests,Elementary School Students,Foreign Countries,Statistical Analysis,Statistical Significance,Nonparametric Statistics

The purpose of this study was to find out the effect of embossed picture technique when used in teaching reading to the pupils with hearing impairment. The study was guided by Piaget's theory of human mental development. The study adopted an experimental design. The study was carried out at Kambui School for the hearing impaired located on Githunguri-Ruiru road in Kiambu District, Githunguri Division, Ngewa zone, 3 kilometers off Kwa-Maiko centre. The school was chosen since it caters for all categories of pupils with hearing impairment from nursery to class eight. The school also admits pupils from all over the country. Pupils were assigned randomly to the experimental and control groups. Each group consisted of 9 pupils totaling 18. Data were collected from both experimental and control groups for a period of 6 weeks. Criterion reference test (CTR) was used as a pre-test and post-test for the purpose of data collection. Nonparametric tests such as the Mann-Whitney test and the Wilcoxon sum of rank test were used to test the significant difference in performance in reading of pupils with hearing impairment taught with embossed picture technique and those taught with &quot;look and say&quot; method. To determine if there was any significant effect of the degree of hearing loss on performance of pupils with hearing impairment in reading, and the difference in performance of pupils of different ages when taught with embossed picture technique, the Kruskal-Wallis one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) which takes care of small samples were used with the different degrees of hearing loss and the different ages as factors. The results showed that there is a high statistical significant difference between pupils taught with embossed picture technique and those taught with the look and say method. The results revealed that there is no significant age effect on reading performance of pupils with hearing impairment of different ages taught with embossed picture technique. Finally, the study revealed that there is no significant performance difference in reading of pupils with hearing impairment at different degrees of hearing loss when taught with embossed picture technique.
The Relationship between Self-Esteem and Academic Achievement of Girls with Hearing Impairments in Secondary Schools for the Deaf in Kenya
Author: Awori, Beatrice Bunyasi
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Deafness,Secondary Schools,Self Esteem,Academic Achievement,Hearing Impairments,Females,Questionnaires,Interviews,Student Records,Self Concept Measures,Correlation,Predictor Variables,Statistical Analysis

Several factors had been cited as contributing to the perpetually dismal academic achievement of girls with hearing impairment in Kenya. Personal esteem factors had not been adequately explored. The study used Carl Roger's client-centered theory and an Expost facto design. Rosenberg self-esteem scale was used to measure self-esteem dimensions. School academic scores were used to measure academic achievement. A sample of fifty-three girls was drawn. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews. The results: girls with hearing impairment possessed positive/high self-esteem but academic achievement was low. It was concluded that girls with hearing impairment placed more value on relational aspects (grooming), music and dance. They lagged behind due to lack of specialized technological devices. The study recommended: teachers to make deliberate use of positive reinforcement; principals to initiate active collaborations with interested partners; the government to make the curriculum more flexible and curriculum developers to reconsider curricula adaptation. Kenya National Examination Council to focus on practical assessment and/or use of sign language interpreters. The government to increase disability fund and provide opportunities for capacity building for assistive-devices-technicians. Further research in the area of teachers' proficiency in Kenya Sign Language to be conducted.
A Comparison between Collaborative and Authoritative Leadership Styles of Special Education Administrators
Author: Veale, Natasha W.
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Leadership Styles,Special Education,Comparative Analysis,Participative Decision Making,Administrative Organization,School Administration,Correlation,School Culture,Instructional Leadership,School Support,Governance

Supervisors, administrators, and directors of special education usually use the authoritative leadership style when supervising their special education staffs; however, collaborative leadership styles are slowly overtaking authoritative leadership styles. These leaders have the task of producing an environment where the culture is inclusive, the relationships are positive, and partnerships are developed and responsible for the success of all students with disabilities Managing strictly by objectives could produce a close-minded type of system that could produce an unpleasant environment, making it difficult for special education teachers to do their jobs efficiently. In this article, the author compares and contrasts the collaborative leadership style with the authoritative leadership style amongst special education personnel in leadership positions. A review of literature determines utilizing a more collaborative leadership style is successful at increasing special education staff productivity.