ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Schools as Sites of Socio-Economic Inclusion: Improving the Fabric of Indian Society
Author: Rani, Bhavana
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Inclusion,Compulsory Education,Access to Education,Educational Change,Equal Education,Childrens Rights,Democratic Values,Educational Benefits,Educational Indicators,Stakeholders,Agency Role,Change Strategies,Elementary Secondary Education,Socioeconomic Status,Foreign Countries

This article examines the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE, 2009) in India, including its origin, the system of schools to which it gave rise, and its importance against the backdrop of the larger Indian society. This article further assesses the progress made in the implementation of the RTE, the roadblocks, and the role of different stakeholders in the system to make RTE a working reality. The benefits of integration in the overall functioning of the education system and its different elements such as the students, teachers, the school culture and the larger community are explored in the article. In conclusion, the article gives policy recommendations to close the skills gap and thereby create an ecosystem that will support integration at every level.
The Struggles of Financial Aid for Higher Education in Brazil
Author: Kussuda, Cintia
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Higher Education,Student Financial Aid,Educational Policy,Finance Reform,Access to Education,Equal Education,Undergraduate Students,Low Income Students,Socioeconomic Background,Private Colleges,Program Effectiveness,Barriers,Economic Impact,Change Strategies

This paper examines the higher education system in Brazil and one of the financial aid policies that the government has established. It seeks to find whether the Fundo de Financiamento ao Estudante do Ensino Superior (FIES), Financing of Higher Education Student, a financial aid program established by the Brazilian government in 1999, addresses the issue of equal access to higher education. The financial aid system was created to assist undergraduate students of low socioeconomic background to attend private institutions (Costa, 2013). Although the financial assistance has brought undeniable results, the FIES has shown its enrolment challenges. On the one hand, the program has to some extent accomplished its role of assisting low-income students to have better access to higher education institutions. On the other hand, it has contributed to the growth of low-quality institutions. Moreover, due to the economic crisis in 2015, the FIES had to make major changes in its regulations. In order to analyze these issues, it is important to understand the socio-economic factors that prevent low-income students from enrolling in public universities, the systems of economic exclusion existing in public higher education entrance exams, and the efficacies of the measures that the Brazilian government has taken to mitigate the inequities in higher education enrollment. Research on this topic will enable us to analyze this contemporary issue in Brazilian education and recommend possible educational policies to solve the matter.
Zero-Tolerance Polices and a Call for More Humane Disciplinary Actions
Author: Vidal-Castro, Arlen M.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Zero Tolerance Policy,Discipline,Discipline Policy,Change Strategies,Humanization,Policy Analysis,Elementary Secondary Education,School Administration

Many students in our school system are being forced out of the classroom due to harsh discipline policies focused on rules rather than the child and the contextualized infraction. These policies punish them by taking away the very thing that could possibly change their lives, their education. The way we deal with behavior issues in the classroom has greatly changed over time and disciplinary actions have become rigid, devaluing the human process of growth and learning. Today, with the rise of violent acts spreading across the United States, the administration feels the need to implement harsh and rigid consequences that decontextualize the human being, rather than seeing the pupil as a whole. Recommendations for a more humane disciplinary code are noted.
The Integration of Refugees into the German Education System: A Stance for Cultural Pluralism and Multicultural Education
Author: Timm, Marco
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Refugees,Cultural Pluralism,Multicultural Education,Arabs,Elementary Secondary Education,Migrant Education,Migrant Children,Student Needs,Educational Methods,Acculturation,Educational Policy,Change Strategies,Inclusion,Educational Practices

This article examines the integration of refugees into the Germany's educational system, focusing on K-12 schooling and Syrian refugees. It criticizes the current approach to integration because the system fails to address the specific needs of refugees and neglects the potential contribution they have to offer in terms of their cultural diversity. The article then advocates in favor of an integration based on cultural pluralism instead of assimilation and explores the benefits of multicultural education. To conclude, it provides recommendations (1) to introduce multiprofessional teams to guide the emotional development of refugee students, (2) to involve Syrian educators in schools to provide language and content instruction in Arabic, and (3) to provide educators with educational practices based on multiculturalism.
Instructional Coaching Implementation: Considerations for K-12 Administrators
Author: Johnson, Kelly Gomez
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Coaching (Performance),Elementary Secondary Education,Administrators,Partnerships in Education,Program Implementation,Academic Achievement,Faculty Development,Instructional Leadership,Administrator Role,Leadership Responsibility,Models,Instructional Effectiveness,Educational Legislation,Federal Legislation

Instructional coaching is a reality in many schools today, yet administrators often lack experience or background on how to utilize this professional development model effectively. Instructional coaching can help administrators balance the managerial and instructional leadership responsibilities required of their role. As districts adopt the practice as a part of their professional development model, administrators require a clear understanding of the opportunities and factors associated with coaching. Instructional coaching has the potential to positively impact the way teachers teach and students learn in our schools, and when effectively implemented, it can also positively affect the way administrators lead. While not a quick fix, administrators have the opportunity to use instructional coaching to improve their school's success one teacher and one student at a time and hence their overall success as a school leader.
How Menstruation Is Shaping Girls&apos; Education in Rural Nepal
Author: Basyal, Samrat
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Females,Physiology,Womens Education,Rural Education,Developing Nations,Family Influence,Cultural Influences,Hygiene,Sanitary Facilities,Religion,Peer Influence

With voices for women's education coming from around the globe, it is a real setback when girls are unable to attend schools during their menstruation or periods, a process they encounter every month. The absence of Nepalese rural female students from schools during their periods does not only have the biological aspect to it but incorporates a wide range of social, cultural, familial, and even the economic factors that impact Nepal hindering its economic growth. This paper examines all those factors relating to girls' menstruation and its impact on their schooling in developing countries. Recommendations for possible ways to carve out solutions for developing countries are noted for this global issue.
Is Social Justice Found in Japanese Education? The Yutori Curriculum and After
Author: Hosokawa, Mitsue
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Social Justice,National Curriculum,Educational History,Educational Policy

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has implemented various curriculums, so-called the Course of Study, over the past few decades. The Yutori curriculum, which was introduced in the 1990's, aimed to improve flexible thinking by reducing the amount of study materials. After finding lowered scores on the PISA 2003 and 2006 (Nakayasu, 2016), the Yutori curriculum was criticized as a failure. Although the MEXT has implemented a new Course of Study to improve the learning ability of the next generation, the Yutori graduates are still left behind in the Japanese society and they are labeled as &quot;failures.&quot; Japan needs to shift its values and philosophy at the fundamental level rather than being ignorant to the fact of lacking social justice. Recommendations for the Japanese educational system are noted.
A Reflection on the Past Trends in the Delivery of Literacy Education in Zambia: Challenges and Prospects
Author: Luchembe, Musonda
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reflection,Literacy Education,Foreign Countries,Functional Literacy,Adult Education,Illiteracy,Adult Literacy,Adult Reading Programs,Reading Skills

This paper examines the different views about the definition of &quot;literacy&quot; and how it is applied in the Zambian context. It argues that the absence of a contextual definition of literacy or illiteracy has raised some doubt on the magnitude of the problem and the extent to which success has been achieved through various literacy programmes. It highlights the growth of literacy education in Zambia, achievements and problems. The paper observes that whereas many efforts have been made to improve the country's literacy rates, the government has not been able to achieve significant results compared to neighbouring countries such as Botswana and Tanzania. It attributes the dismal performance of literacy educational programmes to factors such as inadequate resources, absence of a well-laid down programme and follow-ups. Finally, it outlines some options which may not only improve the literacy rate in the country but may sustain it also.
Literacy-Related Play Activities and Preschool Staffs&apos; Strategies to Support Children&apos;s Concept Development
Author: Norling, Martina
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Concept Formation,Preschool Teachers,Preschool Children,Preschool Education,Teacher Student Relationship,Play,Emergent Literacy,Foreign Countries,Toys,Language Acquisition,Video Technology,Teaching Methods,Color,Visual Stimuli,Qualitative Research,Content Analysis

This study investigates language-promoting strategies and support of concept development displayed by preschool staffs' when interacting with preschool children in literacy-related play activities. The data analysed consisted of 39 minutes of video, selected systematically from a total of 11 hours of video material from six Swedish preschool units. The selected sequences were play situations where preschool staff and child/children were present and teachers used strategies for creating a high instructional climate. The results show that spontaneous play, dramatic play, adult-initiated play and child-initiated play, as well as access to objects or toys offer numerous opportunities in literacy-related play activities to support children's concept development. Results showed that during play activities, such events stimulated children's language modelling and presented opportunities to increase the preschool children's concept development. However, more research is needed in this area, especially concerning how preschool staffs' participation, timing and sensitivity help support children in literacy-related play activities.
Primary School Pupils&apos; Attitudes toward Learning Programming through Visual Interactive Environments
Author: Asad, Khaled
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Programming,Elementary School Students,Student Attitudes,Visual Aids,Online Courses,Curriculum Development,Curriculum Implementation,Course Evaluation,Pretests Posttests,Computer Science Education,Teaching Methods,Student Motivation,Computer Uses in Education,Likert Scales,Questionnaires,Grade 4,Grade 5,Foreign Countries,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis

New generations are using and playing with mobile and computer applications extensively. These applications are the outcomes of programming work that involves skills, such as computational and algorithmic thinking. Learning programming is not easy for students children. In recent years, academic institutions like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and hi-tech companies, such as Google and Khan Academy, have introduced online environments to facilitate the teaching and learning of programming. Most of these programming environments are web-based, and interactive and are supported with visual multimedia features. Therefore, they have become easy to use, very attractive and helpful for teaching children how to program and to develop their algorithmic and computational thinking skills. The proposed presentation will describe research that examined the teaching of a course to primary school children based on three on-line interactive environments: &quot;Plastelina&quot; for logic games, &quot;Code with Anna and Elsa&quot; via the Hour of Code project block-oriented programming environment, for block programming and &quot;Turtle Academy&quot; for textual programming in the Logo language. The current research included the development, implementation and evaluation of the course at an elementary school. In addition, it was aimed at investigating the pupils' attitudes toward the learning of computer programming, both before and after participation in the course. The results revealed that the pupils' attitudes towards programming remained positive also also after the participation in the course. It was also found that programming improved children's problem-solving skills.
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM): A Case Study of Zimbabwe&apos;s Educational Approach to Industrialisation
Author: Chitate, Hardy
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,STEM Education,Case Studies,Industrialization,National Curriculum,Documentation,Educational Innovation,Job Skills,Empowerment,Educational History,Politics of Education,Elementary Secondary Education,Postsecondary Education

One of the fundamental pre-requisites for Industrialisation is its stupendous availability, in a country of skilled-manpower. In this regard, Zimbabwe has sought to leverage human resources, such as these, in order to accelerate the process of socio-economic transformation. In March 2012, for example, the Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ) pronounced the &quot;Second Science, Technology and Innovation Policy&quot; framework, which provided the two Ministries of Primary and Secondary Education and Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development with the opportunity to implement the relevant spellings out of that policy document. The former launched an update review of the national curriculum, in 2014, which culminated, in the crafting of the Zimbabwe Education Blueprint (2015-2022). That education-design plan has many facets. Chief among them is a deliberate emphasis on the teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, subjects that are now known popularly by the acronym &quot;STEM&quot;. Classroom instruction, in those disciplines is meant to empower students with the cutting-edge skills that should see them participate actively, in both the local and global economies. The latter Ministry has rolled out the new STEM curriculum at the Advanced level, in January 2016. Through documentation analysis, this paper, therefore, attempts to unpack the new curricular innovation (STEM), that Zimbabwe has devised most recently as one of her very best policy strategies towards achieving industrial development, in the foreseeable future.
Parental Motivational Practice, Parent Involvement, and Students&apos; Choice of Study Field in College
Author: Niu, Lian
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Parent Participation,Parent Aspiration,Majors (Students),Course Selection (Students),Longitudinal Studies,Correlation,Attribution Theory,Statistical Analysis,Regression (Statistics),Probability,Predictor Variables,STEM Education

This study analyzes data of the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 to examine the association between parental provision of task-extrinsic rewards for academic performance, parent involvement in students' learning, and students' choice of study field in college. Results show that frequent receipt of task-extrinsic rewards for good grades from parents lowers students' probability of selecting STEM major in college by up to 12 percentage points compared to never or rarely receiving such rewards from parents. Results also show that this association is only statistically significant for high frequency of parental external rewards, and moderate frequency does not exert similar effect. The lowered likelihood of STEM enrollment for students frequently exposed to parental task-extrinsic rewards adds to the evidence that external rewards could have adverse effect on students that lasts into college.
Early Childhood Education in Saudi Arabia: Report
Author: Rabaah, Alqassem
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Early Childhood Education,Educational History,Geography,Social Systems,Political Issues,Economic Factors,Religion,Curriculum,Teacher Education Programs,Preschool Teachers,Educational Development

This paper reviewed the development of early childhood education (ECE) in Saudi Arabia and its strengths and weaknesses. The paper discusses the contextual background of Saudi Arabia, including its geography, demographics, social system, economy, political system and religion. In addition, the paper investigated the education system at large in Saudi Arabia, including its development, objectives, enrollment and challenges.
Converting Optically Scanned Regular or Irregular Tables to a Standardised Markup Format to Be Accessible to Vision-Impaired
Author: Nazemi, Azadeh
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Visual Impairments,Assistive Technology,Automation,Tables (Data),Accessibility (for Disabled),Navigation (Information Systems),Layout (Publications),Courseware

Documents use tables to communicate multidimensional information clearly, summarise and present data in an easy-to-interpret way. Tabular information in scanned PDF due to its nature without further processing is not accessible for vision-impaired people who use assistive technology such as screen readers. The lack of access to table contents limits educational and workplace opportunities for people with vision impairment. They require a complete equivalent to access table. This paper describes techniques which apply to scanned PDF document for table detection, extraction and cell segmentation to retrieve cell contents and represent them in a navigable manner to vision-impaired. The output is in mark-up format and provides navigation ability to access content of a table.
A Closer Look at Chinese EFL Learners&apos; Test-Wiseness Strategies in Reading Test
Author: Haiyan, Miao
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Tests,Test Wiseness,English (Second Language),Questionnaires,Achievement Tests,Performance Based Assessment,Student Characteristics,Nonmajors,College Second Language Programs,Achievement Gains,Foreign Countries,Statistical Analysis

This paper reports on an investigation into the relationship of test-takers' use of test-wiseness strategies to Chinese EFL learners' reading test performance. A test-wiseness questionnaire was administered immediately after the final achievement test to probe into how learners thought while completing the reading section of the test. It was found out that the use of test-wiseness strategies bore no positive relationship to the reading test performance; and successful test-takers reported test-wiseness strategy use no more significantly different than unsuccessful test-takers. The results suggested that the bias against Asian EFL learners, especially Chinese EFL learners, in their test-taking process was unfair, since test-wiseness strategies did not contribute to these EFL learners' reading performance and the distinction between successful and unsuccessful test-takers.
Challenges Facing Teachers&apos; Attempts to Enhance Learners&apos; Discipline in Tanzania&apos;s Secondary Schools
Author: Semali, Ladislaus M.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Secondary School Teachers,Secondary School Students,Discipline,Discipline Problems,Teacher Attitudes,Interviews,Content Analysis,Teaching Experience,Academic Achievement,Correlation,Punishment,Questionnaires,Teacher Surveys,Likert Scales,Reputation,Student Behavior,Leadership Role,Observation

There is a common belief among Tanzanian teachers and parents that learners' discipline is essential for effective teaching and learning. Equally, learners' discipline can transform the larger class by developing small learning groups and independent learning options. In turn, these options can enhance students' engagement, facilitate positive learning, prevent disruptive problems, and provide overall academic success. The present study examined teachers' views on discipline to determine how widespread indiscipline might be in schools and whether discipline has any influence on academic success or the overall reputation of the school. Document analysis, classroom observations, field notes, secondary data, and interviews were purposefully collected from selected teachers with at least three years of teaching experience. The study revealed a variety of challenges and dimensions of learners' discipline engulfed in classroom and school discipline discourses of rewards and punishment.
Challenges One Staff Member Management Faces in Managing a Regional Centre in ODL: A Case for Centre for External Studies, University of Namibia
Author: Mbukusa, Nchindo Richardson
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Distance Education,Qualitative Research,Interviews,Telephone Surveys,Organizational Communication,Geographic Isolation,Education Service Centers,Regional Programs,College Administration,Administrator Attitudes,Student Personnel Services,Social Isolation,Barriers

Managing distance education regional centres as one staff member in Namibia is a challenge that calls for greater administrative and academic interventions. Although much work on student support by researchers and practitioners has been published, few scholars have recently begun to explore, through qualitative research, the challenges of managing regional centres alone. This paper contributes to the endeavour by first identifying the challenges of a case for the three regional administrative and student support officers (RASSOs) of the Centre for External Studies, University of Namibia. It then narrates and interprets the challenges collected through in-depth interviews via telephones supported by written documents. Main themes from the challenges include poor communication and isolation from the main campus, inconveniences caused to the RASSOs and loneliness. The conclusion of the study focuses on implications for student support services.