ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Teachers&apos; and Students&apos; Perceptions and Practices on Peer-Led Learning at Ghion Secondary and Preparatory School Ofbahir Dar City, Ethiopia
Author: Dagnew, Asrat
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Peer Teaching,Foreign Countries,Secondary School Students,Grade 9,Grade 10,Grade 11,Grade 12,Questionnaires,Teaching Methods,Active Learning,Teacher Student Relationship,Secondary School Teachers,Peer Relationship,Cooperative Learning,Problem Solving

The general purpose of this study was to examine teachers' and students' perceptions and practices of peer-led learning in Ghion secondary and preparatory school in Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia. To conduct the research, quantitative and qualitative methods were employed. The sample of the study was taken from the population of 41 teachers and 629 students. Proportional stratified sampling technique was used to limit number of respondents of the sample groups.All 41 teachers and 189 students (grade 9th 102, grade 10th 69, and grade 11th 12, &amp; grade 12th 6) were included in the sample. The main instruments of data collection were both open-ended and close-ended questionnaires. The findings of the study revealed that teachers and students have perceived peer-led learning positively. In spite of their good perceptions, their practices of peer-led learning were low. The opportunities to strengthen peer-led learning were teachers' and students' positive perceptions and distribution of check lists in the school. To conclude, school teachers and students have positive perceptions and low practices of peer-led learning. There is no significant difference in their perceptions. Based on the major findings, the researcher recommended minimizing problems encountered and maximizing the implementation of peer-led learning.
An Investigation into Web-Based Presentations of Institutional Online Learning Orientations
Author: McGowan, Veronica F.
Date: 2018-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Online Courses,Web Based Instruction,Computer Simulation,Orientation,Educational Resources,Course Content,Management Systems,Content Analysis,Navigation (Information Systems),Computer Software,Higher Education,Delivery Systems,Academic Achievement,College Students

Online learning orientation may be particularly important in a virtual setting where students are unfamiliar with the learning platform, unsure if their available computer hardware and software will meet requirements, and hesitant that they have the learning orientation to progress. Given that virtual students are at risk for receiving less advisement than their on-ground counterparts, proactive institutional provision of tips and resources for experiencing success in an online setting may foster greater achievement for this vulnerable population. This research studies a sample of online learning orientations provided by American higher educational institutions in order to determine content, delivery, and feature prominence in current implementations. Hopefully this study will help inform campus implementations in the consideration of various factors and the adoption of practices that benefit student audiences.
Case Analysis: Exploring the Application of Using Rich Media Technologies and Social Presence to Decrease Attrition in an Online Graduate Program
Author: Oregon, Evie
Date: 2018-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Distance Education,Computer Mediated Communication,Athletics,Management Development,Academic Persistence,Case Studies,Online Courses,Instructional Design,Masters Programs,Social Media,Social Theories,Feedback (Response),Teacher Characteristics,Student Characteristics,College Students,College Faculty

Distance education has become a popular method for delivering sport management programs because online learning provides opportunities for learners to continue their education in various settings. Despite increased interests in online learning, the literature shows that one of the largest challenges to higher education is student retention in online programs. This case analysis will analyze the methodologies of Media Richness Theory and Social Presence Theory in online course design and instruction and how they aid overall program retention. This study, conducted in a graduate sport management program, could prove to be a resource for similar programs looking to improve online interaction.
Encouraging Learners to Explore Websites: Hyperlinks as Invitations
Author: Ho, Jeffrey C. F.
Date: 2018-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Interfaces,Man Machine Systems,Web Sites,Hypermedia,Navigation (Information Systems),Cues,Constructivism (Learning),Outcomes of Education,Web Based Instruction,College Students,Foreign Countries,Information Seeking,Recall (Psychology)

We applied a user interface (UI) design approach based on a constructivist perspective for web-based learning that conceptualizes interactions between learners and websites as conversations. Hyperlinks on the UI of a distributed interactive learning environment were treated as invitations for interaction to encourage learners' active exploration. An experiment for examining the effects of two UI features, namely, additional cues attached to hyperlinks and indication of the website owner, was conducted on the basis of the literature on invitation designs for web surveys. Results reveal that, on a website owned by someone with a high-power status, learners explore further when additional cues are present on the UI. Such effects indirectly enhance learning outcomes.
Ethics in the Classroom: A Ten-Year Retrospective
Author: Cahn, E. Susanna
Date: 2018-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Ethics,Cheating,Student Behavior,Decision Making,Assignments,Probability,Plagiarism,Grades (Scholastic),Student Attitudes,Conventional Instruction,Online Courses,Graphs,Undergraduate Students

The influence of classroom context on the probability of being caught cheating is compared between face-to-face classes and online classes. A decision tree model assigned in the context of a management science class presents alternatives, including unethical choices, risks and rewards, and a decision facing a potential ethical dilemma. Part of the student response to the assignment is estimation of the subjective probability of being caught copying on homework. Student-estimated probabilities of being caught for both &quot;real&quot; (face-to-face) and &quot;virtual&quot; classrooms are compared. The same information was collected from students at points in time ten years apart to study the change in technological context on the probability of being caught. Broadly speaking, student respondents felt that only about one third of cheaters get caught, leading to a dilemma where sometimes grades can be improved by cheating. More specifically, the probability of being caught was higher in a face-to-face classroom than a virtual classroom. That difference was significant in the earlier time period but was no longer significant ten years later.
Sequence Analysis in Distributed Interactive Learning Environments: Visualization and Clustering of Exploratory Behavior
Author: Ho, Jeffrey C. F.
Date: 2018-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Constructivism (Learning),Visualization,Web Sites,Outcomes of Education,Navigation (Information Systems),Online Courses,Sequential Approach,Web Based Instruction,College Students,Foreign Countries,Recall (Psychology),Teaching Methods

Constructivist learning posits that learners should construct their own meaning and organization of knowledge through exploration. Web-based distributed interactive learning (DIL) environments are a type of information and communications technology that supports learners in exploring learning materials. Although educators can access learners' navigational paths on DIL websites, the exploratory nature of such paths cannot be efficiently analyzed. Educators cannot determine the effects of small improvements or adjustments on DIL websites. In this study, the navigational paths of learners using alternative versions of a DIL website were recorded and analyzed using integrated sequence analysis methods. Visualization and clustering of the sequences revealed five common navigational patterns, and associations between the navigational patterns and learning outcomes were also identified. The findings show how educators can understand and improve the design of DIL websites by performing a sequence analysis.
Serious Games for Training and Faculty Development--A Review of the Current Literature
Author: Boudreaux, Kyle
Date: 2018-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Games,Faculty Development,College Faculty,Validity,Teacher Attitudes,Outcomes of Education,Educational Assessment

This article is a review of the current literature involving the use of serious games (SG) as a tool for training and faculty development. Noted in the review is the dearth of research into the adoption of SG for use specifically in higher education faculty development. The review looks at the viability of SG as teaching tools, the validity of SG in professional training, motivation and SG, faculty attitudes toward SG, SG used in professional development for faculty, and measuring learning when SG are used.
Student Presence and Faculty Availability in Fully Online Courses: Is Alignment Requisite?
Author: Huun, Kathleen
Date: 2018-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Distance Education,Online Courses,Nursing Students,Medical School Faculty,Alignment (Education),Integrated Learning Systems,Nursing Education,Undergraduate Students,Teacher Student Relationship,Attendance

Distance students consider online faculty availability and immediacy to be very important. Understanding student course usage is imperative to be able to align with their needs. The results of daily course usage by fully online nursing students enrolled in three separate clinical courses on an LPN to BSN track illustrate a clear pattern of extraordinarily consistent usage over six semesters for each course with remarkable consistency between courses. As an aggregate group, students spend roughly the same amount of time each day of the week using their LMS except Sunday, which shows roughly twice the usage as other days. Therefore, matching faculty availability and immediacy to times of higher student activity on the LMS should be considered.
What Motivates Students in the Online Communication Classroom? An Exploration of Self-Determination Theory
Author: Jacobi, Laura
Date: 2018-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Students,Student Motivation,Online Courses,Computer Mediated Communication,Self Determination,Educational Strategies,Personal Autonomy,Competence,Grades (Scholastic),Course Organization,Feedback (Response),Cooperative Learning

The purpose of this study was to examine instructional strategies used to motivate students to engage in online communication courses. Eighteen undergraduate students, seven graduate students, and ten faculty members were interviewed individually or in small focus groups. Results indicate the significance of instructional strategies that promote autonomy, perceived competence, and relatedness in motivating students. Two instructional strategies that promote autonomy (i.e., conveying choice in instructional language and validating negative feelings associated with arduous or tedious tasks) were not discussed by participants in this study, which poses interesting challenges for instructors. The results reveal the utility of Self-Determination Theory in aiding contemporary scholars in understanding the particular needs of online learners and the distinct challenges for today's teachers.
Stress-Induced Factor as Determinants of Undergraduates&apos; Numerical Reasoning and Decision Making Processes in Pseudo-Mathematics Courses
Author: Israel, Oginni Omoniyi
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Stress Variables,Undergraduate Students,Mathematical Logic,Decision Making,Mathematics Instruction,Questionnaires,Environmental Influences,Friendship,Economic Factors,Thinking Skills,Logical Thinking,Foreign Countries

This study investigated the influence of stress-induced factor as determinants of undergraduates' numerical reasoning and decision making processes (NRDMP) in pseudo-mathematics courses. The study employed descriptive research of the survey type. A sample of 400 undergraduates was selected using purposive sampling technique. A questionnaire used to collect data for this study was tagged &quot;Stress Induces Factors among Pseudo-Mathematics Undergraduates Questionnaire (SIFPMUQ). The face and content validity of the instrument were ensured. The reliability of the instrument was established using test-retest method while Pearson's Product Moment Correlation analysis which yielded the reliability coefficient of 0.78 was obtained. The data collected was analysed using inferential statistics of t-test and Regression analysis. The findings of the study revealed that the regression model &quot;y = 1.551 + 0.214x[subscript 1] + 0.069x[subscript 2] - 0.113x[subscript 3] - 0.170x[subscript 4]&quot; such that exposure to environment and academic workload contributed positively to NRDMP among pseudo mathematics undergraduates while financial issues and making new friends contributed negatively to NRDMP among pseudo-Mathematics undergraduates. Based on the findings, it was recommended that students should be allowed to study in a conducive environment. Likewise, parents and guardians should endeavour to meet up with the responsibilities of their wards.
The Integration of Multiculturalism into the Ethiopian Universities&apos; Environment
Author: Enyew, Chanyalew
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Universities,Cultural Pluralism,Foreign Countries,College Faculty,College Students,Student Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Student Diversity,Student Characteristics,Gender Differences,Ethnicity,Religion,Family Income,Parent Background,Educational Attainment

This study examined the extent to which the issue of multiculturalism is infused into the environments of Universities in Ethiopia. Four hundred forty-four instructors and students were selected using random sampling technique from the five universities. A structured questionnaire and an unstructured interview were used as data collecting instruments. The quantitative data were analyzed using one sample t-test where as the qualitative one was analyzed using narration. The quantitative data disclosed that the issue of multiculturalism is infused into the programs of the Universities, where as the qualitative one did not. Therefore, a detailed future investigation shall be made in this area of concern.
How Will They Know You Care? Advice for Preservice Teachers Based on Children&apos;s Perceptions of Caring and Respect
Author: Thomas-Richmond, Jamia M.
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Childhood Attitudes,Caring,Low Income Students,African American Students,Minority Group Students,Elementary School Students,Secondary School Students,Teacher Student Relationship,Teacher Characteristics,Teacher Education

For several years, the authors were involved as volunteer literacy tutors in a low-income housing development with predominantly African American residents. In this volunteer role, the authors were troubled by the ways in which the youth and their families were misunderstood and not well served by the schools. The purpose of this study is to emphasize the perceptions and the voices of children, ages 11-16, as it relates to the research question: In a school system focused on closing the achievement gap, what qualities and characteristics do children from low income backgrounds identify in teachers that demonstrate care and respect?
Fences and Families: A University Project Providing Rural Field Experiences for Pre-Service Teachers
Author: Payne, Phillip D.
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Rural Schools,Experiential Learning,Preservice Teacher Education,Preservice Teachers,Consciousness Raising,Elementary Secondary Education,College School Cooperation,Partnerships in Education,STEM Education,Art Education,Music Education,Writing Assignments,Interdisciplinary Approach

Rural schools are in a precarious time currently facing funding issues, decreasing resources, dwindling populations, and difficulties hiring candidates for existing vacancies. As a result, a Midwestern university's College of Education sought to help alleviate some of those issues by exposing its pre-service teachers to the benefits of teaching in the college's extensive rural footprint, while emphasizing a connection between school and community. Rural Arts Day (RAD) was designed to address the critical issues facing rural schools by making pre-service teachers more aware of what rural schools can offer, through an alternative field experience in a K-12 school building. With positive results, this pilot project has become the impetus for an ongoing program to be implemented on a regular basis at sites across the state. This university/school partnership, while integrating music, writing and painting across STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) topics, focuses on school and community spirit, with an overall message of the value of teaching in a rural school.
How to Teach the Hardy-Weinberg Principle Using Engaging, Non-Trivial Evolutionary Scenarios. Innovations
Author: Wise, Michael J.
Date: 2018-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teaching Methods,Evolution,Vignettes,Introductory Courses,Biology,Genetics,Population Trends,Science Instruction,Innovation,Problem Solving

As a foundational evolutionary concept, the Hardy-Weinberg principle should be taught enthusiastically in introductory biology courses. In a companion Perspectives paper, I made the case that students are often given limited or incorrect information on the HW principle due to a lack of mastery or confidence on the part of their teachers. The purpose of this Innovations paper is to identify where errors are most-often made in the set-up and solutions of HW problems. The centerpiece of this paper is a set of six biological scenarios to which students need to apply the HW principle to answer interesting evolutionary questions. I provide explanations for solving the problems (including Excel instructions with formulas to perform chi-square tests), and I identify several teachable moments that are likely to arise in the discussion of the solutions. The use of this problem set and the pedagogical strategy described in this paper significantly improved students' performance on HW problems in my introductory biology class, and I expect that they can benefit other teachers at least as much. [For the companion paper, see EJ1186047.]
On Hardy-Weinberg in Introductory Biology: Teaching This Fundamental Principle in an Authentic, Engaging, and Accurate Manner. Perspectives
Author: Wise, Michael J.
Date: 2018-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Introductory Courses,Biology,Teaching Methods,Genetics,Science Instruction,Misconceptions,Population Trends,Evolution

The Hardy-Weinberg principle (HWP) is a fundamental model upon which much of the discipline of population genetics is based. Despite its significance, students often leave introductory biology courses with only a shallow understanding of the use and implications of the HWP. I contend that this deficiency in student comprehension is too-often a consequence of teachers of introductory biology having an insufficient mastery of the HWP, as well as a lack of proficiency in quantitative analysis in general. The purpose of this Perspectives paper is to correct some common misconceptions about the HWP so that teachers of introductory biology will have more confidence that they are communicating this important principle correctly to their students. A companion Innovations paper provides a problem-set of six real-world Hardy-Weinberg scenarios, along with explicit instructions on quantitatively analyzing the scenarios. [For the companion paper, see EJ1186046.]
Improving Scientific Literacy through a Structured Primary Literature Project
Author: Eslinger, Melissa
Date: 2018-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Science Instruction,Scientific Literacy,Science Curriculum,Introductory Courses,Biology,College Science,Critical Thinking,Thinking Skills,Undergraduate Students,Group Activities

Emphasizing scientific literacy in the core science curriculum promotes informed students within a liberal arts education. In our Introduction to Biology course, which enrolls predominantly humanities majors in their final science course of their academic careers, we designed a project to advance these analytical processes through the deliberate dissection of primary literature. This project, completed over the course of one semester, includes both a written analysis and an oral presentation of a primary scientific article of the students' choosing. The students are guided through this iterative process from article selection to the completion of products. Within this work we detailed the objectives and created complementary tools to stimulate the progression of higher order cognitive skills and assist faculty in assessing the interpretations of applied biological concepts. Surveys from faculty and students suggest that this project and its supporting materials are useful to improve scientific literacy and improve critical thinking skills. Whether the audience is non-STEM majors or scientific minded persons, this project can be utilized to enhance critical analysis skills. Overall, we found this student-led group activity allowed for exploration of the scientific process outside of the classroom environment, which facilitated a more hands-on approach to developing increased scientific literacy in undergraduate students.
Utilizing Quantitative Analyses of Active Learning Assignments to Assess Learning and Retention in a General Biology Course
Author: Dyer, Jamie O.
Date: 2018-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Data Analysis,Active Learning,Assignments,Student Evaluation,Undergraduate Students,Retention (Psychology),Science Education,Biology,Introductory Courses,Majors (Students),Scores,Correlation,Teaching Methods,Computer Simulation

Numerous studies have examined the use of active learning methods in undergraduate courses, suggesting that these methods increase learning and retention as well as student engagement. In order to investigate the benefits of particular active learning assignments involving presentations of 3-dimensional simulations in an introductory biology course for science majors, quantitative analyses of the effects of these assignments on learning and retention as assessed by unit and final exam scores were performed. Same student populations and varying student populations across multiple semesters were compared using t-test analyses, single factor ANOVA analyses, and Pearson correlation coefficients. These statistical analyses determined the simulation assignments as compared to other active learning assignments resulted in no consistent significant increase in learning or retention of material covered by these assignments for same student populations and varying student populations across multiple semesters. Based on these results, the simulation assignments were replaced with other active learning assignments and additional assessment found no significant difference in the learning and retention of course material. The approach described in this study can be used for other assignments in introductory majors' biology courses, as well as other courses to assess the effectiveness of course assignments for student learning and retention.