ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Soft Skills: Old &amp; New
Author: Beardmore, Kevin Wayne
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Subjects: 21st Century Skills,Higher Education,Achievement Gap,Knowledge Economy,Predictor Variables,College Entrance Examinations,Grades (Scholastic),Courses,Socioeconomic Status,Work Experience Programs,Academic Achievement,Success,Grade Point Average,Scores,Career Readiness,College Readiness,College Credits,Ethnicity,Age,Community Colleges,Two Year College Students

The problem of a prepared workforce is perennial. Part of the challenge is one of supply and demand, as education systems attempt to produce graduates with the technical competencies required for the current jobs available. In the new service- and knowledge-based economy, however, soft skills are cited as a greater need by today's employers. Increasingly sought across all industry sectors, these skills allow employees to work independently and interdependently, respond rapidly to customer needs, and adjust to changing market conditions. As a result, institutions of higher education are being called upon to infuse soft skills into their curricula. In this three-manuscript dissertation, first the implications for higher education, with Kentucky serving as a prime example, are assessed. Second, potential higher education predictors of success on a soft skills assessment--college admissions tests, grades, coursework, socioeconomic measures, and work-based learning--are examined through a quantitative study. Third, the importance of soft skills is considered in the context of capitalist societies and the purposes of education as a human endeavor. The case may be made that soft skills, rather than being a subset of workforce preparation or higher education, may be thought of as the fundamental intellectual tools of humanity.
&apos;Your Language Development&apos;: Harnessing Openness to Integrate Independent Language Learning into the Curriculum
Author: Beaven, Tita
Date: 2019-07-26
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Communities of Practice,Professional Development,Translation,Online Courses,Open Universities,Masters Programs,Program Descriptions,Learning Strategies,Student Needs,Independent Study,Native Language,Language Acquisition,Graduate Students,Language Proficiency,Skill Development,Dictionaries,Foreign Countries,Case Studies

The first module of the online Master of Arts (MA) in Translation at the Open University, Introduction to Translation Theory and Practice, includes a language development strand which encourages students to diagnose their own language development needs and introduces them to tools, resources, strategies, and learning communities that will enable them to independently develop their language skills in both their L1 and their L2, and to consider language development as part of their ongoing professional development as translators, mirroring the practice of many professionals. This chapter considers the extent to which the language development activities and practices can be considered 'open'. [For the complete volume, &quot;New Case Studies of Openness in and beyond the Language Classroom,&quot; see ED596829.]
An Inclusionary Open Access Textbook for Portuguese
Author: Pio, Carlos
Date: 2019-07-26
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Portuguese,Second Language Instruction,Textbooks,Electronic Publishing,Textbook Content,Cultural Relevance,Cultural Awareness,Access to Education,Open Educational Resources,Textbook Preparation,Language Usage

This case study describes the development of an e-textbook for first-year Portuguese classes. This pedagogical initiative strives to provide an inclusionary and open textbook for Portuguese, including the collaboration and feedback from Portuguese speakers of several economic and cultural backgrounds. In this context, 'openness' means listening to the language of a given community and the commitment to reproduce it in a textbook format. Inclusion of minority groups in the textbook is perceived not as 'curiosities', but as an integral part of the cultures being represented so that a wider range of communities and language registers (from formal to informal) is portrayed. In addition, openness applies to the articulation of gender narratives in an inclusionary format. For instance, the masculine gender is supplemented with female and other non-binary genders. Above all, this textbook is adaptive and open to all, regardless of economic background. By promoting language teaching and quality free education to all, it is our intention to contribute to a better understanding of each other and to the reduction of the divisions among communities. In this project, the authors decided to create materials in an open platform (Creative Commons CC BY), available to any student with access to the Internet. In order to be inclusive, the authors worked in partnership with language professionals and students from several institutions in the US and in Brazil. Through a collaborative effort, the authors produced an inclusive e-textbook created from the bottom up. [For the complete volume, &quot;New Case Studies of Openness in and beyond the Language Classroom,&quot; see ED596829.]
Dual-Credit Report: Student Enrollment, Performance, and Program Effects, 2017-2018. Research Educational Program Report
Author: Houston Independent School District (HISD), Department of Research and Accountability
Date: 2018-12-13
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Dual Enrollment,College Credits,High School Students,Student Characteristics,Academic Achievement,Program Effectiveness,Student Attitudes,Academically Gifted,College Readiness,School Districts,Grade Point Average,English Language Learners,Socioeconomic Status,Two Year College Students,Gender Differences,Racial Differences,Ethnicity,Low Income Students,Students with Disabilities

Beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, the Houston Independent School District (HISD) has offered dual-credit programs, by law (Section 28.009, Texas Education Code, (TEC)), through which high-school students can obtain college credits or industry-recognized credentials, or certificates, or an associate degree while pursuing a high school diploma. The purpose of this evaluation was to identify the number and demographic and educational attributes of HISD students enrolled in dual-credit courses during the 2017-2018 school year and to evaluate the performance of a representative sample of these students on state tests relative to their peers who were not enrolled in dual-credit courses. The evaluation also determined the effect of dual-credit enrollment on students' state test results and identified the demographic and educational predictors of dual-credit students' performance on the 2018 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) Algebra I, Biology, English I, English II, and U.S. History End-of-Course (EOC) exams.
Assessing Language Student Interaction and Engagement via Twitter
Author: Kelly, Olivia
Date: 2019-07-26
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Open Universities,Virtual Classrooms,Interaction,Learner Engagement,Social Networks,Social Media,Telecommunications,Handheld Devices,Distance Education,Electronic Learning,Foreign Countries,Language Teachers,Communities of Practice,Technology Uses in Education,Electronic Publishing,Web Sites,Computer Mediated Communication,Second Language Instruction,College Students,Student Surveys

Twitter has over 326 million monthly active users with the number of daily users growing every year since 2016 and is increasingly used by students and academics to interact and build online learning communities. For distance language learners, Twitter offers an open, free, and accessible environment for interaction and engagement which is difficult to replicate in Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) forums. VLE forums have the issue of being module and year specific and are often split into small student groups limiting the opportunity for natural interaction between students. This study aims to build on existing research and assesses the levels of student interaction and engagement via Twitter. The research involved the use of a survey of language students at The Open University (OU), UK, and a virtual ethnographic analysis of tweets related to the term 'OU languages'. The survey asked OU language students about their use of Twitter in relation to their studies and their thoughts on its advantages. The analysis of public tweets related to the term OU languages showed that a large number of different users tweet about the topic, which leads to enhanced interaction between students themselves and their teachers. A sentiment analysis of the words used in the tweets also showed that the tweets are consistently positive, which can lead to increased motivation for students. Overall, the analysis showed that students value the use of Twitter by teachers to give out information and offer support as well as the support they offer and receive from each other during their studies. [For the complete volume, &quot;New Case Studies of Openness in and beyond the Language Classroom,&quot; see ED596829.]
Dual Credit: Student Enrollment, Performance, Perceptions, and Experiences in the Houston Independent School District, 2016-2017. Research Educational Program Report
Author: Houston Independent School District (HISD), Department of Research and Accountability
Date: 2017-09-20
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Dual Enrollment,College Credits,High School Students,Student Characteristics,Academic Achievement,Program Effectiveness,Student Attitudes,Academically Gifted,College Readiness,School Districts,Grade Point Average,English Language Learners,Socioeconomic Status,Two Year College Students,Gender Differences,Racial Differences,Ethnicity,Low Income Students,Students with Disabilities

In accordance with Section 28.009 of the Texas Education Code (TEC), the Houston Independent School District (HISD) offers dual-credit courses through which students can earn at least 12 semester hours of college credit while in high school. Dual-credit courses are available to all HISD high school students regardless of grade level. There is no limit to the number of these courses students can take during a semester or school year (HISD, 2016). The purpose of this evaluation is to identify the number and attributes of HISD students enrolled in dual-credit courses during the 2016-2017 school year, evaluate their performance on state tests relative to their peers who were not enrolled, determine the effect of enrollment on their performance, and identify their perceptions and experiences with dual-credit courses.
Italian Open Education: Virtual Reality Immersions for the Language Classroom
Author: Berti, Margherita
Date: 2019-07-26
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Computer Simulation,Second Language Learning,Italian,Undergraduate Students,Student Attitudes,Teaching Methods,Open Educational Resources,Foreign Countries,Video Technology

This case study describes the development of a free-to-use online platform for storing, sharing, and accessing 360-degree Virtual Reality (VR) videos. Although in the past VR was mostly used for gaming purposes, in recent years it has become increasingly popular in numerous areas, including education. In the field of language learning, little is still known about the development and use of open VR materials as well as their affordances and constraints. The current project addresses this gap by illustrating the practical steps taken to develop an open education platform, by investigating undergraduate students' attitudes toward the implementation of VR in the language classroom, and by discussing pedagogical insights about how openly licensed VR resources can be used to foster students' learning. Overall, this case study revealed that VR Open Educational Resources (OERs) can be powerful vehicles to promote inclusion, innovation, and engagement. [For the complete volume, &quot;New Case Studies of Openness in and beyond the Language Classroom,&quot; see ED596829.]
Repurposing MOOCs for Self-Regulated Language Learning in an English for Academic Purposes Course
Author: Gafaro, Barbara Conde
Date: 2019-07-26
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Online Courses,English for Academic Purposes,Academic Language,Blended Learning,College Students,Case Studies,Self Management,Teaching Methods,English Instruction

This case study investigated the self-regulated learning strategies that university students employ while engaging with Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) as part of an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course. Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) involves the processes whereby students plan, monitor, evaluate, and adjust their performance towards goal attainment. Literature from MOOCs identifies self-regulation as an essential feature of participants who successfully take part in such courses. Learners are anticipated to monitor their learning while working with the online material at their own pace and connecting with other learners around the world whenever they want. Using MOOCs as supplementary learning material for a face-to-face academic English course provides an interesting picture of the learning strategies that students use while embracing openness within a formal learning context. This paper reports on the data collected from two online questionnaires administered to identify and compare the SRL strategies that participants used before and after their MOOC engagement. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted to complement the quantitative data. Data analysis shows that strategic planning and metacognitive monitoring strategies tend to be used more than help-seeking strategies during MOOC engagement. Findings also highlight students' positive attitudes towards the study as well as their suggestions for future blended MOOC practices within academic English courses. [For the complete volume, &quot;New Case Studies of Openness in and beyond the Language Classroom,&quot; see ED596829.]
Open Practices as a Catalyst for Language Teachers&apos; Professional Development
Author: Daniels, Patricia
Date: 2019-07-26
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Faculty Development,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Language Teachers,Educational Resources,English (Second Language),Work Environment,Self Employment,Teaching Methods,Networks,Technological Literacy,Language Skills,Literacy,Foreign Countries,Case Studies,Educational Opportunities,Teacher Attitudes,Open Educational Resources

This small-scale pilot study enquired into the Open Educational Practices (OEPs) that freelance English language teachers in Switzerland are engaging in and the role these played in their Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Participants are members of a teaching association and work in adult education. Freelancers are often faced with precarious working conditions which can impact on CPD opportunities. Research has shown that engaging in OEP can open up meaningful learning opportunities in situ. However, these projects have mainly been in higher education settings where support and training has been offered. Hence, this study explored what freelancers are doing in their natural settings. This project focused on activities associated with open teaching practices and digital networking practices. Findings are very limited but suggest that open practices can act as an enabler for learning opportunities that lead to knowledge development and improved digital literacy and literacy skills and language skills. [For the complete volume, &quot;New Case Studies of Openness in and beyond the Language Classroom,&quot; see ED596829.]
Career and Technical Education Report, 2017-2018. Research Educational Program Report
Author: Houston Independent School District (HISD), Department of Research and Accountability
Date: 2018-11-16
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Vocational Education,Incidence,Enrollment Trends,Academic Achievement,Outcomes of Education,Mathematics Achievement,Science Achievement,History Instruction,English Instruction,Certification,Graduation,Dropout Rate,High School Students,Predictor Variables,At Risk Students,Academically Gifted,Standardized Tests

Section 29.182 of the Texas Education Code (TEC) makes provision for all students in the State of Texas to participate in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. CTE programs incorporate competencies that lead to the attainment of academic and technical skills, industry recognized certificates, licenses, and credentials for employment as well as provide opportunities for students to earn college credit for completed coursework (State of Texas, 2013). The Houston Independent School District (HISD) offers non-coherent and coherent-sequence of CTE courses with rigorous content in 16 high school programs. The purpose of this evaluation was to determine trends in CTE course enrollment in HISD, and to analyze students' performance relative to their peers who did not participate in the program using the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) End-of-Course (EOC) examination results. The study was guided by four questions and used descriptive statistics and trend data to answer these questions. Finally, multiple regression analyses were used to predict students' performance on the STAAR Algebra I, Biology, English I, English II, and U.S. History EOC exams using selected demographic and educational predictors. Among the key findings were: (1) While the number of students who were enrolled in a non-coherent sequence of CTE courses declined by 6.2 percent, the number of students enrolled in a coherent sequence of courses increased by 10.8 percent between the 2016-2017 and the 2017-2018 academic years; (2) Overall, 91.5 percent of the 6,170 CTE students who took an industry certification exam received an industry certification during the 2017-2018 school year; (3) There was a 19.5 percent increase in the number of CTE graduates compared to a 4.2 percent increase for the district between the Class of 2016 and the Class of 2017; and (4) The 2017 annual grades 9-12 school dropout rate for CTE students was 2.7 percent compared to 4.6 percent for HISD.
Effective Teacher Fellowship: Comparative Analysis of Alternative Certification Programs and Student Reading and Math Achievement, 2014-2015. Research Educational Program Report
Author: Houston Independent School District (HISD), Department of Research and Accountability
Date: 2015-04-17
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Alternative Teacher Certification,Reading Achievement,Mathematics Achievement,Program Effectiveness,Higher Education,Community Colleges,College Students,Two Year College Students,Teacher Education Programs,Teacher Competencies,Teacher Qualifications

This evaluation report on the Effective Teacher Fellowship (ETF) alternative certification program (ACP). This program evaluation compared the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) and Stanford 10 test performance of student samples whose teachers participated in four types of ACPs during the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 academic years (ETF, university/community college, education service center, and private entity). The analyses of reading and mathematics achievement revealed mixed results, depending on the test and student grade level. However, among the most notable findings: (1) The 2012-2013 ETF ACP cohort outperformed students of teachers in comparison ACP cohorts as well as all Houston Independent School District (HISD) students on the 2013 STAAR 3-8 math tests (Level II phase-in I, percent met Satisfactory standards), while the university/community college ACP cohort and the Education Service Center cohort had the highest percentage of students who met Satisfactory performance standards on the 2013 STAAR 3-8 reading tests; (2) In addition, the 2013-2014 university/community college ACP cohort had the highest percentage of students who met Satisfactory standards on the 2014 STAAR 3-8 reading and math tests; (3) STAAR end-of-course (EOC) reading, writing, and math exam results did not definitively identify a specific ACP type whose students consistently outperformed other ACP cohorts during the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 academic years; and (4) There was evidence that gaps are being reduced between students of ETF and non-ETF teachers based on value-added data reflecting student growth.
Comparisons of Academic Achievement among Kindergarteners Previously Enrolled in HISD and Head Start Prekindergarten Programs, 2015-2016. Research Educational Program Report
Author: Houston Independent School District (HISD), Department of Research and Accountability
Date: 2016-11-18
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Preschool Education,Kindergarten,Preschool Curriculum,Program Effectiveness,Academic Achievement,Language Arts,Mathematics Achievement,Student Characteristics,Enrollment Trends,Reading Achievement,Racial Differences,Ethnicity,Socioeconomic Influences,Gender Differences,Special Education,Limited English Speaking,Early Intervention,Social Development,Emotional Development,Low Income Students,School Readiness,Access to Health Care,Students with Disabilities,Achievement Gap

The purpose of the Houston Independent School District (HISD) and Head Start Collaborative programs is to share the responsibility for closing the achievement gap between economically-disadvantaged children and their more affluent peers. Currently, HISD collaborates with the following four federally-funded Head Start agencies that serve regional sectors of Harris County within the district's boundaries: AVANCE-Houston, Inc. (AVANCE), Gulf Coast Community Services Association (GCCSA), Harris County Department of Education (HCDE), and Neighborhood Centers, Inc. (NCI). This report compares the academic achievement of kindergarten students who were enrolled in an HISD-Head Start (dual) program to peers who attended either an HISD prekindergarten program, Head Start Standalone program, or neither one of the three programs during the 2014-2015 school year. Highlighted findings include: (1) The majority of students who enrolled in either an HISD-Head Start (dual), HISD, or Head Start Standalone prekindergarten program were identified as economically disadvantaged, at risk and Hispanic; (2) Students who were dually enrolled achieved mean standard scores on the Logramos English language arts (ELA) and mathematics subtests that were higher than those of their peers who were either enrolled in a Head Start Standalone, or had not attended either prekindergarten program; (3) Regarding race and ethnicity, the achievement gap was widest between Black and White students who were not enrolled in either prekindergarten program, with the achievement gap in favor of dually-enrolled Black students on the Iowa ELA subtest; and (4) Students with disabilities (SWD) that were dually enrolled achieved mean standard scores on the Logramos ELA and mathematics that were higher than those of their peers with disabilities who attended HISD or Head Start Standalone programs.