ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
New York State Middle Schools and Instructional Scheduling, Teaming and Common Planning: A Descriptive Study
Author: Corey, Chad
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Middle Schools,School Schedules,Educational Planning,Principals,Administrator Attitudes,Instructional Program Divisions,School Location,Departments,Administrative Organization,Statistical Significance,Likert Scales

Data regarding the type of instructional scheduling utilized along with the use of teaming and common planning at the middle school level has not been collected nor reported on the New York State School Report Card, and therefore it is not known whether and how middle schools are implementing these three school supports. Consequently, the purpose of this research was to discover whether these three school supports are present or absent in New York State middle schools in order to provide direction for educators, administrators, community members, and policymakers in making informed decisions regarding middle level education in the State of New York. This descriptive study examined to what extent, if any, three school supports (instructional scheduling, teaming, and common planning) are in existence in New York State middle schools. The results indicated that the majority of principals utilize a traditional departmentalized schedule with interdisciplinary and/or single-graded teaming with varying duration and frequencies of team, grade level, and departmental common planning. Statistically significant differences existed between specific principals' beliefs and grade configuration, school location, and years of principal experience at current school.
AchieveNJ and Its Effects on Hiring Principals
Author: Cinotti, Gina
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Principals,Personnel Selection,Superintendents,Leadership Qualities,Administrator Characteristics,Educational Policy,Accountability,Surveys,Statistical Analysis,Decision Making,Background

The study described the influence, if any, AchieveNJ might have on superintendents' hiring decisions of principals. According to superintendents, there is not one accepted standard in principal leadership characteristics, although there are commonalities regarding traits associated with improving student achievement. The significance of this study is to unveil comparisons, distinctions, and conclusions about the impact AchieveNJ has had on superintendents' hiring decisions of principals, which will contribute to the literature gap on AchieveNJ. AchieveNJ was a new variable in the research and it forced superintendents to rank principal leadership characteristics. This groundbreaking policy is at the forefront of accountability and serves an educational milestone. The significance of the findings presented evidence that since AchieveNJ was introduced in 2013-14, instructional leadership was the most desired leadership trait when superintendents hire principals. Also, districts' and superintendents' demographic variables had no influence on the findings.
Impact of Summer Recess on Mathematics Learning Retention
Author: Hornack, David
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computation,Mathematics Skills,Retention (Psychology),Vacations,School Schedules,Benchmarking,Standardized Tests,Mathematics Tests,Pretests Posttests,Elementary School Students,Grade 2,Grade 3,Statistical Analysis,Graphs,Tables (Data)

School administrators across the nation are actively searching for solutions to increase student achievement due in part to the significant amount of knowledge that is lost annually each summer. Mathematical computation skills are especially at-risk. This quantitative research study was designed to investigate the impact of summer recess also known as summer vacation on mathematical computation skills. Assessing children in second and third grade from two different school calendars accomplished this on two separate occasions. First, children from a traditional calendar school and a balanced calendar school were assessed the last week of school respectively using a standardized benchmark assessment called the M-COMP. The same children were then post-tested using the same test following the summer recess. For the traditional calendar children the length of time between each assessment was 12-weeks. Participants from the balanced school calendar were posted-tested following a six-week summer recess. Dramatic results were revealed. [Pagination shown on provided PDF is incorrect.]
Value and Pricing of MOOCs
Author: Baker, Rose M.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Large Group Instruction,Online Courses,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Higher Education,Costs,Educational Finance,Educational Change,Access to Education,Certification,Marketing,Job Applicants,Paying for College

Reviewed in this article is the potential for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to transform higher education delivery, accessibility, and costs. Next, five major value propositions for MOOCs are considered (headhunting, certification, face-to-face learning, personalized learning, integration with services external to the MOOC, marketing). Then, four pricing strategies for MOOCs are examined (cross-subsidy, third-party, &quot;freemium&quot;, nonmonetary). Although the MOOC movement has experienced growing pains similar to most innovations, we assert that the unyielding pace of improvements in network technologies combined with the need to tame the costs of higher education will create continuing demand for MOOC offerings.
A University-Assisted, Place-Based Model for Enhancing Students' Peer, Family, and Community Ecologies
Author: Lawson, Michael A.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Community Schools,Place Based Education,Models,Educational Improvement,Low Income,Poverty,Barriers,Educational Resources,Best Practices,Intervention,School Social Workers,Educational Change,Ecology,Social Responsibility,College School Cooperation,School Community Relationship,Partnerships in Education,Parent Participation,Behavior Rating Scales

Community schools have recently (re)emerged in the United States as a vital, comprehensive strategy for addressing poverty-related barriers to children's school learning. However, not all low-income school communities are endowed with the resources needed to launch a comprehensive array of school-based/linked services and programs. In this article, the authors describe a place-based model for school improvement for low-income school communities where formal and fiscal resources are in short-supply. Framed by two best-practice interventions from the youth development and family support literatures, the authors identify five &quot;high leverage&quot; improvement mechanisms that social workers, educators, and parents can collaboratively target to affect change. These improvement mechanisms, together with the interventions they implicate, can help community school efforts provide a more powerful, engagement-focused reach into students' peer, family, and community ecologies.
Knowledge for a Common World? On the Place of Feminist Epistemology in Philosophy of Education
Author: Schumann, Claudia
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Feminism,Epistemology,Educational Philosophy,Moral Values,Validity,Attitudes,Postmodernism,Knowledge Level

The paper discusses the place of feminist epistemology in philosophy of education. Against frequently raised criticisms, the paper argues that the issues raised by feminist standpoint theory lead neither to a reduction of questions of knowledge to questions of power or politics nor to the endorsement of relativism. Within the on-going discussion in feminist epistemology, we can find lines of argument which provide the grounds for a far more radical critique of the traditional, narrow notion of objectivity, revealing it as inherently flawed and inconsistent and allowing for the defense of a re-worked, broader, more accurate understanding of objectivity. This is also in the interest of developing a strong basis for a feminist critique of problematically biased and repressive epistemological practices which can further be extended to shed light on the way in which knowledge has become distorted through the repression of other non-dominant epistemic standpoints. Thus, requiring a thorough re-thinking of our conceptions of objectivity and rationality, feminist epistemologies need to be carefully considered in order to improve our understanding of what knowledge for a common world implies in the pluralistic and diverse societies of post-traditional modernity in the 21st century.
Remix as Professional Learning: Educators' Iterative Literacy Practice in CLMOOC
Author: Smith, Anna
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Large Group Instruction,Online Courses,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Faculty Development,Teacher Collaboration,Literacy,Correlation,Telecommunications,Handheld Devices,Electronic Publishing,Web Sites,Interaction,Teaching Methods,Social Media,Networks,Teamwork

The Connected Learning Massive Open Online Collaboration (CLMOOC) is an online professional development experience designed as an openly networked, production-centered, participatory learning collaboration for educators. Addressing the paucity of research that investigates learning processes in MOOC experiences, this paper examines the situated literacy practices that emerged as educators in CLMOOC composed, collaborated, and distributed multimediated artifacts. Using a collaborative, interactive visual mapping tool as participant-researchers, we analyzed relationships between publically available artifacts and posts generated in one week through a transliteracies framework. Culled data included posts on Twitter (n = 678), a Google+ Community (n = 105), a Facebook Group (n = 19), a blog feed (n = 5), and a &quot;make&quot; repository (n = 21). Remix was found to be a primary form of interaction and mediator of learning. Participants not only iterated on each others' artifacts, but on social processes and shared practices as well. Our analysis illuminated four distinct remix mobilities and relational tendencies--&quot;bursting,&quot; &quot;drifting,&quot; &quot;leveraging,&quot; and &quot;turning.&quot; &quot;Bursting&quot; and &quot;drifting&quot; characterize the paces and proximities of remixing while &quot;leveraging&quot; and &quot;turning&quot; are activities more obviously disruptive of social processes and power hierarchies. These mobilities and tendencies revealed remix as an emergent, iterative, collaborative, critical practice with transformative possibilities for openly networked web-mediated professional learning.
Mapping the Complexities of Effective Leadership for Social Justice Praxis in Urban Auckland Primary Schools
Author: Jayavant, Sharona
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Instructional Leadership,Instructional Effectiveness,Social Justice,Urban Schools,Primary Education,Culturally Relevant Education,Academic Achievement,Qualitative Research,Comparative Analysis,Case Studies,Transformational Leadership,Critical Theory,Race,Data Analysis,Administrator Attitudes,Trust (Psychology),Self Concept,Values,Beliefs,Interpersonal Communication,Semi Structured Interviews,Principals

This empirical research is about strengths-based leadership practices that seek to explore leadership for social justice and equity in New Zealand's culturally and linguistically diverse educational and social landscape. Similar to the diversity in other countries, where leaders demonstrate culturally responsive leadership practices in their quest to educate diverse democracies. This inquiry examines the characteristics and behaviours of effective leadership for social justice and equity for student academic achievement in urban Auckland primary schools. A qualitative, comparative case study, combined with the theoretical framework of applied critical leadership from theories of transformational leadership, critical pedagogy and critical race theory (perspective lens) guided the research methods. The research findings presented several applied critical leadership characteristics that highlighted the complexities of leading for social justice in urban Auckland primary schools. A distinct phenomenon was leader's axiological philosophy (values, beliefs and morals) underpinning their leadership that was culturally responsive to the diversity in their educational contexts. These findings suggest the need for research and scholarship yet to be done in this largely unexplored educational leadership academic space.
Proficiency as a Variable in Gulf EFL Students&apos; Employment of Reading Strategies
Author: Endley, Martin J.
Date: 2016-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Undergraduate Students,Reading Strategies,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Language Proficiency,Protocol Analysis,Semi Structured Interviews,Reading Comprehension,Reading Difficulties,Pretests Posttests,Language Tests,Readability,Readability Formulas

This paper reports a study of the reading strategies used by twelve Arabic-speaking undergraduates at a major Gulf university when reading texts in English. The procedure employed was a think-aloud protocol followed by a semi-structured interview. Three research questions were addressed: (a) What are the primary comprehension problems encountered by students attending an English-speaking university in the Gulf region when reading academic texts in English? (b) What reading strategies do the students actually employ in order to solve their reading problems? (c) To what extent can the demographic variable of English reading proficiency be used to reliably predict the students' use of reading strategies in English? Results revealed that while the participants were already in possession of repertoire strategies, they often failed to use them effectively. This was especially the case with the lower-proficiency readers. The implications of these findings are briefly discussed.
Numbers or Numerology? A Response to Nation (2014) and McQuillan (2016)
Author: Cobb, Thomas
Date: 2016-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Vocabulary Development,Vocabulary Skills,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Reading Achievement,Reading Fluency,Time Factors (Learning),Adult Learning

Thomas Cobb's 2007 applied linguistics paper, &quot;Computing the Vocabulary Demands of L2 Reading&quot; dealt with whether reading alone can build an adequate reading lexicon in a second language, or whether some sort of extra vocabulary training will normally be required. In the article, Cobb proposed that in the case of adult academic ESL learners with one year to prepare for content study in English, such learners typically do not seek or receive vocabulary training, and so are implicitly volunteering for a &quot;reading alone&quot; experiment willy-nilly, and that if the number of times they are likely to meet words at the 4,000 frequency level and beyond is counted, it will typically not be enough for reliable learning of those words to occur. Herein, Cobb responds to critics of his proposed explanation including McQuillan and Krashen (2008), Nation (2014), and McQuillan (2016). [For McQuillan and Krashen (2008), see EJ805503. For Nation (2014), see EJ1044345. For McQuillan (2016), see EJ1098660.]
The Effectiveness of ER on Reading Proficiency: A Meta-Analysis
Author: Jeon, Eun-Young
Date: 2016-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Meta Analysis,Reading Fluency,Language Proficiency,Effect Size,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Pretests Posttests,Program Effectiveness,Reading Comprehension,Reading Rate,Bias,Foreign Language Books,Primary Sources,Literature Reviews

A meta-analysis was performed to investigate the impact of extensive reading (ER) on reading proficiency. This study gathered 71 unique samples from 49 primary studies published from 1980 to 2014 involving a total of 5,919 participants. Effect sizes were generated separately according to two different study designs: experimental-versus-control contrasts and pre-to-post-test contrasts. Small to medium effect was found in both study designs. Moderator analysis showed growing interest in ER in the field over the last 30 years. Also, a higher effect was found in the adults than in the children and adolescents group. English as a foreign language (EFL) settings showed a higher effect than English as a second language (ESL) settings; and web-based stories had a higher effect than paper books. Finally, ER as a part of curriculum showed the highest mean effect among ER types. Suggestions are made on how to implement ER in ESL and EFL settings effectively.
A Proposed Framework between Internal, External and Pedagogy Dimensions in Adoption of Interactive Multimedia e-Learning
Author: Lahwal, Fathia
Date: 2016-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Adoption (Ideas),Multimedia Instruction,Electronic Learning,Interactive Video,Least Squares Statistics,Multimedia Materials,Measurement,Questionnaires,Likert Scales,Pretesting,Pilot Projects,Componential Analysis,Validity,Correlation,College Students,Regression (Statistics)

This study focuses on interactive multimedia e-learning aims to improve our understanding about the dynamics of e-learning. The objective is to critical evaluate and better understand the interrelationships in the proposed framework between internal, external and the pedagogy dimensions in adoption of interactive multimedia and e-learning. It develops a tool to measure creative user adoption of interactive multimedia and e-learning services by using Partial Least Squares algorithm as the method of estimation and the major analytical tool in this study. Finding of a small scale data sampling of students in United Kingdom indicate that the proposed measurement framework is an acceptable fit with the data. Overall, the findings supply a precise tool for measuring creative user adoption of interactive multimedia and e-learning services, providing further insights for researchers and may provide to guide research and practice in interactive multimedia and e-learning by using communication media.
The ICT Level of Confidence of Course Specialists in Distance Education: The Polytechnic University of the Philippines Experience
Author: Sumande, Caroline T.
Date: 2016-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Information Technology,Self Esteem,Specialists,Open Universities,Technology Integration,Distance Education,Technical Institutes,Electronic Learning,Instructional Design,Integrated Learning Systems,Word Processing,Spreadsheets,Computer Software,Video Technology,Web Sites,Questionnaires,Likert Scales,Computer Uses in Education,Computer Assisted Testing,Student Evaluation,Blended Learning,Web Based Instruction

The study addressed two questions: what is the ICT level of confidence of the course specialists handling Open University classes, and to what extent do course specialists integrated ICT applications such as word processing, electronic spread sheet, presentation software, YouTube and etc. in their OUS classes? The instruments were administered to 130 OUS course specialists with 80 or 61.54% retrieval rate from those who attended the LMS training from April to May 15, 2015. The responses to the questionnaires were summarized using frequency and percentages. Results show that a high percentage of course specialists are fully confident in using computer applications such as; word documents, PDF documents, email, multi-media presentations, e-learning tools for submission of requirements, assessment of students performance, and other systems integrated in handling OUS classes through the DE system blended method of teaching, but the alarming reality revealed that a number of course specialists used the applications but need further practice/training while some are &quot;not aware of the application&quot; which can be deterrent in achieving the goal of the university to offer pure online strategy in the next few years. In Distance Education, technology is considered as an integral part of the learning process, thus, this study concludes that creating a long-term vision for the future of DE system in the country can be best achieved if DE providers or universities prepare the faculty members or the course specialists in teaching via online given proper training programs where technology is best utilized and makes a gratifying experience for both the students and course specialists.
The Common Core Writing Standards: A Descriptive Study of Content and Alignment with a Sample of Former State Standards
Author: Troia, Gary A.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Common Core State Standards,Writing Achievement,Writing Instruction,State Standards,Teaching Methods,Alignment (Education),Comparative Analysis,National Competency Tests,Grade 8,Content Analysis,Taxonomy,Writing Skills

Many students do not meet expected standards of writing performance, despite the need for writing competence in and out of school. As policy instruments, writing content standards have an impact on what is taught and how students perform. This study reports findings from an evaluation of the content of a sample of seven diverse states' current writing standards compared to content of the Common Core State Standards for writing and language (CCSS-WL). Standards were evaluated for breadth of content coverage (range), how often content was referenced (frequency), the degree of emphasis placed on varied content elements (balance), and the degree of overlap between one set of standards and another (alignment). The study addressed two research questions: (1) What is the nature of the CCSS-WL and the sample states' standards for writing with respect to content breadth, frequency, and balance? (2) To what degree do the states' writing standards align with the CCSS-WL? Results indicated that CCSS-WL are succinct and balanced, with breadth of coverage in some aspects of writing but not others. The seven states' standards represented varying degrees of breadth, frequency, and balance with few patterns across states. None of the states' standards had strong alignment with CCSS-WL, indicating a potential mismatch between prior curricular materials and instructional methods developed with former standards as guides to help students meet grade-level writing expectations in the new CCSS.
Is Our Safety and Security Guaranteed on University of Cape Coast Campus? Undergraduates Students' Perceptions
Author: Owusu, G. A.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Undergraduate Students,Student Attitudes,School Security,Campuses,Student Satisfaction,Dormitories,On Campus Students,Lighting,Telecommunications,Student Surveys,Statistical Analysis,Case Studies,Questionnaires,Interviews,Likert Scales

In higher education like other institutions, safety and security of persons particularly students resident on university campuses remain topical. The limited research conducted on the experiences of university students in Ghana reflects paucity of literature on safety and security on university campuses in Ghana where such issues have been neglected. Yet, there have been numerous instances where students' study lives have been threatened due to acts of burglary and other forms of violent acts. The issue of campus safety is thus crucial and there is the need to pay attention to it. This study is drawing mainly on perceptions of students about safety and security issues in University of Cape Coast (UCC). Working within a case study which used survey design to obtain a comprehensive picture of students' perceptions about their safety and security on campus, the findings showed that students are not satisfied with the overall safety and security on campus particularly in the evenings. The students suggested that building more halls of residence, improving the lighting system on campus, and installing emergency phones across campus, intensifying security presence on campus as well as controlling the number of people that enter the campus are sure ways of ensuring that UCC was safer.