ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Length of Online Course and Student Satisfaction, Perceived Learning, and Academic Performance
Author: Ferguson, Janet M.
Date: 2010-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Graduate Students,Course Evaluation,Academic Achievement,Online Courses,Predictor Variables,Statistical Analysis,Participant Satisfaction,Program Length,Student Attitudes,Instructional Effectiveness,Likert Scales,Distance Education

This research presents findings from a two-part study. In the first part, graduate students taking online courses were given a course evaluation form. Student responses from online abbreviated summer sessions were compared to student responses from online full-semester courses. Both the intensive and full-semester courses were taught by the same professor and both had identical requirements in terms of assignments and exams. The independent variable was the length of time taken to complete the requirements, with the dependent variables being satisfaction with the course, perceived learning, and academic performance. A statistical analysis of the data found significant differences in a number of areas. (Contains 3 tables.)
The Challenges of Implementing Distance Education in Uganda: A Case Study
Author: Basaza, Gudula Naiga
Date: 2010-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Distance Education,Economically Disadvantaged,Foreign Countries,Educational Finance,Curriculum Design,Curriculum Development,Expertise,Educational Attitudes,Civil Engineering,Higher Education

This brief case study provides a pithy introduction to Uganda and outlines key factors that affect the implementation of distance education in the nation: poor infrastructure, the high cost of an education, an outdated curriculum, inadequate expertise in distance education, and poor attitudes towards distance learning. These factors are also evident in other African countries.
Thirty Years of Distance Education: Personal Reflections
Author: McKee, Terralyn
Date: 2010-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Distance Education,Access to Education,Reflection,Delivery Systems,Educational Technology,Multimedia Materials,Educational Media,Educational Development,Educational Practices,Educational Innovation,Educational Change,Technology Integration

This paper reflects on the evolving experience of modern distance education (DE) as a field of practice for professionals and as a medium for student access to education and training. The writer's 30 years in the field, as both teacher and student, has coincided with the five-stage evolution of DE delivery defined by Taylor (1995-2010). The author considers the perceived identity crisis and diverse theoretical frameworks of the field since the 1980s as well as the need for new levels of change management that will enable the tools, technologies, and emerging systems of DE to create the flexibility, responsiveness, and networking that the students require and that the teachers need to learn. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)
Universal Instructional Design Principles for Moodle
Author: Elias, Tanya
Date: 2010-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Instructional Design,Distance Education,Online Courses,Teaching Methods,Educational Principles,Delivery Systems,Learning Modules,Courseware,Access to Education,Database Management Systems,Formative Evaluation,Navigation (Information Systems),Performance Technology,Design Requirements

This paper identifies a set of universal instructional design (UID) principles appropriate to distance education (DE) and specifically tailored to the needs of instructional designers and instructors teaching online. These principles are then used to assess the accessibility level of a sample online course and the availability of options in its LMS platform ("Moodle"[TM]) to increase course accessibility. Numerous accessibility-sensitive plug-in modules are found to be available to Moodle users, though relatively few features were included in the sample course analysed. This may be because they have not been made available to instructors at the institutional level. The paper offers a series of recommendations to improve the accessibility of online DE to learners with diverse abilities, disabilities, and needs. (Contains 9 tables.)
Half of the Equation: Social Interest and Self-Efficacy Levels among High School Volunteer Peer Mentors vs. Their Nonmentor Peers
Author: Brewer, Courtney
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mentors,Peer Counseling,Self Efficacy,Student Volunteers,High School Students,Interpersonal Competence,Individual Characteristics,Gender Differences,Comparative Analysis,Experience

School-based mentoring programs which utilize peer mentors have become a popular and cost-effective way of providing support services to students. While several studies examining mentee outcomes appeared in the past decade, less research has examined characteristics of the high school mentors involved. This study examined social interest, social self-efficacy, and general self-efficacy levels of high school volunteer mentors and their nonmentor peers, along with the effects of gender, prior mentoring experience, and experience as a mentee. Findings suggest higher levels of social self-efficacy, higher numbers of female volunteers, and higher rates of former mentees among mentor populations. (Contains 2 tables.)
Are You a Legally Literate School Counselor?
Author: Hall, Kimberly R.
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: School Counselors,Knowledge Level,Counselor Training,School Law,Ethics,Legal Problems,Federal Legislation,State Legislation

This exercise is designed to assist school counselors in assessing their knowledge of prevalent ethical and legal issues within the school setting. The aim is to highlight emerging legal and ethical dilemmas and motivate counselors to stay abreast of specific school rules and policies, as well as keep a basic understanding of state and federal laws affecting their work.
A Personal Journey in Promoting Social Justice as a School Counselor: An Action Research Approach
Author: Dowden, Angel Riddick
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Social Justice,Equal Education,Action Research,School Counselors,Counselor Role,Case Studies,Advocacy,Student Diversity,Minority Groups,Social Bias,Teacher Attitudes,At Risk Students

This article describes the author's journey as a school counselor utilizing an action research approach to advocate for social justice in education. Two case studies are provided to discuss the process utilized to advocate for equal education for all students as a school counselor. Lastly, the author reflects on the successes and failures experienced during the process, and provides pertinent information for school counselors who seek to infuse action research and social justice into the work they currently do.
Does Holding a Teacher Education Degree Make a Difference in School Counselors' Job Performance?
Author: Stein, David M.
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Job Performance,Counselor Training,Teaching Skills,School Counseling,Teacher Certification,School Counselors,Teaching Experience,Counseling Effectiveness,Prior Learning,Internship Programs,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Performance Based Assessment,Clinical Experience

An important hiring criterion maintained by some school districts is that school counselors possess a teaching certificate and prior teaching experience. The present study examined the actual job performance of novice school counselor (interns) in relation to whether they had teacher certification and at least two years of teaching experience, or entered the school counseling profession as non-teachers. Results showed that standardized supervisors' evaluations of counselor interns' performance in four main skill areas (Professional Behavior, Clinical Skills, Teaching Skills, Hireability) were not associated with prior teacher training and/or experience. However, male, novice counselors were rated somewhat lower on the domain of Professional Behavior than female counselors. The methodological advantages of studying the teacher-counselor question using novice counselors and expert supervisor-evaluators are discussed. The implications for graduate program training, and hiring practices are summarized. (Contains 2 tables.)
School Counselors' Experiential Training in Group Work
Author: Bore, Samuel K.
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Counselor Training,Factor Analysis,School Counselors,Experiential Learning,Teamwork,Self Efficacy,Participant Satisfaction,Administrator Characteristics,Administrator Responsibility,Leadership,Supervision,Counseling Techniques,Mail Surveys,Caregiver Attitudes

School counselors' perceptions of the efficacy and satisfaction of their experiential training in group work were investigated. An exploratory factor analysis (n = 304) revealed four salient factors: leader characteristics, leader responsibilities, child/adolescent group leadership and adult group leadership. A majority of participants indicated they were not satisfied with their experiential training and supervision in group work. A multiple regression analysis showed a statistically significant relationship between experiential training and utilization of psycho-educational groups in schools. Implications for school counselor preparation programs are discussed. (Contains 1 table.)
Meeting the Challenges Together: School Counselors Collaborating with Students and Families with Low Income
Author: Grothaus, Tim
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Low Income,Educational Objectives,Outcomes of Education,School Counselors,Cooperation,Achievement Gap,Access to Education,Family School Relationship,Counselor Role,Advocacy

Given the disproportionally dire educational outcome data for students from families with low income, school counselors are challenged to advocate, educate, and collaborate with stakeholders to address the pernicious and prevalent achievement and access gaps. After an examination of the inequitable current conditions for these students and families, school counselor facilitation of school-family partnerships is explored. In addition, school counselor roles in challenging biases, educating stakeholders, and engaging in advocacy for these students and families are discussed.
Counseling Group Curriculum for Parents on Bullying
Author: Lamanna, John
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Bullying,Middle School Students,School Counselors,Curriculum,Family School Relationship

This article discusses the impact of bullying on K-12 students and the importance of collaborative partnerships between home and school in decreasing the dramatic effects of student bullying behaviors. The authors present a six-week, research-based, small group curriculum specifically developed for professional school counselors to support parents of middle school children who have been bullied.
Accountability in Action: Service-Learning Partnerships in Practice
Author: Dotson-Blake, Kylie P.
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Counselor Training,School Counseling,Counseling,School Counselors,Counselor Educators,Service Learning,Partnerships in Education,Theory Practice Relationship,Case Studies,Program Effectiveness,Student Needs

This article begins with an exploration of the issues facing beginning school counselors and the educational requirements for school counselor education programs. Following this exploration, the discussion moves into a description of how service-learning can be used to foster understanding and transfer abstract professional concepts into practice. A case example of a class incorporating service-learning is presented, providing counselor educators with an in-depth understanding of the key foundational underpinnings necessary for effective service-learning projects in school counseling coursework. Potential challenges are discussed and suggestions for future research are shared.
Clinical Preparation and Supervision of Professional School Counselors
Author: Thompson, Jill M.
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Supervision,Counselor Training,School Counselors,Counselor Qualifications,Skill Development,Motivation,Student Motivation,Developmental Stages,Field Experience Programs,College Faculty,Practicums,Internship Programs,Grading,Observation,Role Models,Case Studies,Computer Mediated Communication,Electronic Mail,Role Playing,Teaching Methods,Video Technology,Audio Equipment

The need for a discussion of school counselor preparation and supervision is supported by the guidelines established by both the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), 2009 and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), 2005. The significance of this article is to provide a reflective narrative based upon actual practices designed to prepare candidates to meet the rigor and relevance required by both accreditation boards and professional organizations. In addition, a clinical preparation and supervision model will be presented. Stages of developmental supervision, clinical supervision experience, and modalities of clinical supervision are discussed. (Contains 1 figure.)
The Evolving Identity of School Counselors as Defined by the Stakeholders
Author: Perkins, Gerra
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Professional Associations,National Standards,Counselor Role,School Counseling,School Counselors,Stakeholders,Elementary Schools,Surveys,Attitude Measures,Mental Health,Counseling Services

To better understand the evolving identity of school counselors, this article examines the value stakeholders place on the roles of elementary school counselors. The School Counselor Role Survey (SCRS) was administered to assess stakeholders' perceptions of the importance of the school counselor roles advocated by The Education Trust and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). The survey combined the three content areas of the ASCA National Standards and the five domains of The Education Trust's Transforming School Counseling Initiative (TSCI). Results found that all stakeholder groups perceived the most important role of an elementary school counselor is to be that of a mental health professional. (Contains 3 tables.)
The Effectiveness and Efficiency of Distributed Online, Regional Online, and Regional Face-to-Face Training for Writing Assessment Raters
Author: Wolfe, Edward W.
Date: 2010-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Writing Evaluation,Writing Tests,Qualifications,Program Effectiveness,Scoring,Essays,Interrater Reliability,Participant Satisfaction,Training Methods,Questionnaires,Time on Task,Time Factors (Learning),Educational Quality,Scoring Rubrics,Efficiency

This study examined the influence of rater training and scoring context on training time, scoring time, qualifying rate, quality of ratings, and rater perceptions. One hundred twenty raters participated in the study and experienced one of three training contexts: (a) online training in a distributed scoring context, (b) online training in a regional scoring context, and (c) stand-up training in a regional context. After training, raters assigned scores to qualification sets, scored 400 student essays, and responded to a questionnaire that measured their perceptions of the effectiveness of, and satisfaction with, the training and scoring process, materials, and staff. The results suggest that the only clear difference on the outcomes for these three groups of raters concerned training time--online training was considerably faster. There were no clear differences between groups concerning qualification rate, rating quality, or rater perceptions. (Contains 4 tables.)
Examining the Feasibility and Effect of Transitioning GED Tests to Computer
Author: Higgins, Jennifer
Date: 2010-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Testing Programs,Testing,Computer Uses in Education,Mathematics Tests,High School Equivalency Programs,Equivalency Tests,Feasibility Studies,Test Format,Computer Assisted Testing,Comparative Testing,Intermode Differences,Student Surveys,Participant Satisfaction

This study examined the feasibility of administering GED Tests using a computer based testing system with embedded accessibility tools and the impact on test scores and test-taker experience when GED Tests are transitioned from paper to computer. Nineteen test centers across five states successfully installed the computer based testing program, followed the research protocol, and transmitted testing data with minimal issues, providing evidence of the feasibility of administering GED Tests on computer. Two hundred and sixteen GED candidates participated in the research by completing two GED mathematics practice test forms and a survey. Participants completed the first form on paper and were randomly assigned to take the second form on computer or paper. The survey asked students to report demographic information, information about their use of computers, and their preference for using a computer to take tests. Regression analyses showed that participants were neither advantaged nor disadvantaged by taking the GED Mathematics Test on computer. This finding also holds true after accounting for student's reported computer use and preference for taking tests on computer. (Contains 1 figure and 13 tables.)
Performance of a Generic Approach in Automated Essay Scoring
Author: Attali, Yigal
Date: 2010-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Writing Evaluation,Writing Tests,Scoring,Test Scoring Machines,Comparative Testing,Computer Assisted Testing,Weighted Scores,Equated Scores,Essays,Standardized Tests,Multiple Regression Analysis,Pattern Recognition,Item Analysis,Evaluation Methods

A generic approach in automated essay scoring produces scores that have the same meaning across all prompts, existing or new, of a writing assessment. This is accomplished by using a single set of linguistic indicators (or features), a consistent way of combining and weighting these features into essay scores, and a focus on features that are not based on prompt-specific information or vocabulary. This approach has both logistical and validity-related advantages. This paper evaluates the performance of generic scores in the context of the e-rater[R] automated essay scoring system. Generic scores were compared with prompt-specific scores and scores that included prompt-specific vocabulary features. These comparisons were performed with large samples of essays written to three writing assessments: The GRE General Test argument and issue tasks and the TOEFL independent task. Criteria for evaluation included level of agreement with human scores, discrepancy from human scores across prompts, and correlations with other available scores. Results showed small differences between generic and prompt-specific scores and adequate performance of both types of scores compared to human performance. (Contains 3 tables.)
The Distribution of the Lexical Component in ELT Coursebooks and Its Suitability for Vocabulary Acquisition from a Cognitive Perspective. A Case Study
Author: Sanchez, Raquel Criado
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Psycholinguistics,Textbooks,Neurolinguistics,Incidental Learning,Long Term Memory,Vocabulary Development,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Case Studies,Language Usage,Word Frequency,Content Analysis,Second Language Instruction

The psycholinguistic and neurolinguistic perspective of language acquisition requires some essential conditions in vocabulary acquisition: (a) repetitive practice, which allows for data to reach long-term memory, and thus become proceduralised and automatised; (b) how relevant the lexical items are regarding the communicative needs of the learners insofar as communicative relevance is linked to frequency in general linguistic usage; (c) the potential in vocabulary acquisition, which will necessarily relate to the amount of new lexical items introduced in each one of the units in textbook; (d) the way words are taught, i.e. whether aimed at explicit or incidental learning. In order to analyse and evaluate these issues, we will study the lexical items presented in a specific textbook from the point of view of frequency, distribution along the manual, opportunities for rehearsal and repetition (which will depend on frequency), and the nature of the activities centred on vocabulary. The results of this case study will allow us to check whether or not they may stand a comparison against the findings of psycholinguistic and neurolinguistic research on vocabulary acquisition. (Contains 5 tables, 6 graphics and 4 footnotes.)
An Assessment of the Vocabulary Knowledge of Students in the Final Year of Secondary Education. Is Their Vocabulary Extensive Enough?
Author: Olmos, Carmen
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Learning,Vocabulary Development,Language Proficiency,Prediction,Second Language Instruction,High School Seniors,Foreign Countries,Language Tests,Correlation

Several research studies have proven a direct relationship between the amount of words known by a foreign language student and his/her language proficiency. Therefore, knowing the amount of words that our students are acquainted with would help teachers to predict their general ability in the foreign language. The aim of this study is to determine the vocabulary size of a group final year students in a High School in Murcia. The instrument used to measure students' vocabulary size was Nation's Vocabulary Levels Test. This test has been validated on successive occasions. A total number of 49 students sat the exam in the case of the first test containing the 1000 and 2000 levels; and 38 sat the second test. The results obtained were poorer than expected. (Contains 3 tables and 5 figures.)
Frequency and Functionality: Two Keys for L2 Coursebooks
Author: Alcaraz, Gema
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Vocabulary Development,Vocabulary,Word Frequency,Second Language Learning,Functional Literacy,Second Language Instruction,Textbooks

There is no doubt of the importance of vocabulary in EFL coursebooks. Yet, criteria for the selection of target words remain unclear. Frequency and functionality have been proposed as the two underpinning for selection. However, they are usually incompatible so that materials designers must opt for one or the other. The question is which one should be chosen. Despite the fact that recent corpora studies remark the importance of frequency, it seems that functionality still dominates coursebook vocabulary selection. (Contains 3 figures.)
"Wireless": Some Facts and Figures from a Corpus-Driven Study
Author: Rizzo, Camino Rea
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Telecommunications,Vocabulary,Computational Linguistics,Engineering,English for Special Purposes,Classification,Language Usage,Statistical Analysis,Discourse Analysis

"Wireless" is the word selected to illustrate a model of analysis designed to determine the specialized character of a lexical unit. "Wireless" belongs to the repertoire of specialized vocabulary automatically extracted from a corpus of telecommunication engineering English (TEC). This paper describes the procedure followed in the analysis which is intended to fulfil a twofold purpose: first, to validate the automatic classification; and second, to gain a better insight on the lexical profile of telecommunication English. The statistical information provided by the variables of frequency, distribution and keyness, are combined with the data extracted from the exploration of the surrounding co-text, in order to describe the sintagmatic relations established. (Contains 9 tables and 2 footnotes.)