ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Lessons from a Scale-Up of Residentially Linked Courses
Author: Coker, Jeffrey S.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: General Education,Faculty Development,Service Learning,Leadership,Learner Engagement,Neighborhoods

One form of learning community involves students taking a shared academic course while living together. At Elon University between 2011 and 2015, in a partnership between academic and student life portions of the university, this form of learning community was scaled up to include more than half of first-year students in the fall semester. Each cohort of students lived in a residential neighborhood together and took one of two required four-credit general education courses, COR 110 (an interdisciplinary seminar) or ENG 110 (a writing course). Lessons learned across the five years include the importance of building with faculty guidance, linking to neighborhoods (not halls), integrating faculty development (and not adding it, whenever possible), being attentive to building design and management, rewarding faculty and staff leadership, and assessing and experimenting rigorously.
A Dynamic Program Assessment Framework for Learning Communities
Author: Kahn, Gabrielle
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reflection,Feedback (Response),Student Attitudes,English (Second Language),Two Year College Students,Community Colleges,Group Discussion,Writing Assignments,Cooperation,Student Participation,Communities of Practice,English Language Learners,Program Effectiveness,Second Language Instruction

This research builds upon Malnarich, Pettitt, and Mino's (2014) investigation of students' reflections on their learning community (LC) experiences. Adapting their Peer-to-Peer Reflection Protocol for use at Kingsborough Community College, CUNY, we present a framework for dynamic LC program assessment. To obtain feedback about theory-practice connections in our English as a Second Language (ESL) LCs, students were asked to consider whether their experiences reflected the sociocultural tenets underlying the program (Vygotsky, 1978, 1986). Students provided individual responses in writing and engaged in a communal conversation facilitated by a professor, program director, and campus administrator based on these writings. Using conversation analysis, our examination of responses to one program principle in the discussion context uncovered two related phenomena: students talked about what collaboration meant to them in their LC (collaboration-in-content), and also engaged in the act of collaboration in the conversation itself (collaboration-in-process). The exploratory nature of these interactions as part of a growing community support and extend the findings of Malnarich et al. (2014). We conclude by arguing for the continued investigation of ways to bridge theory and practice in our LC program work by bringing assessment activity and classroom activity together, and inviting various campus stakeholders to this dynamic process.
Development of a Culture Specific Critical Thinking Ability Test and Using It as a Supportive Diagnostic Test for Giftedness
Author: Köksal, Mustafa Serdar
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Critical Thinking,Diagnostic Tests,Gifted,Academic Ability,Test Construction,Psychometrics,Grade 6,Grade 7,Grade 8,Cognitive Ability,Cognitive Tests,Test Reliability,Test Validity,Comparative Analysis,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Factor Analysis,Predictive Validity,Foreign Countries,Regression (Statistics),Factor Structure

The purposes of this study were to develop a culture specific critical thinking ability test for 6, 7, and 8. grade students in Turkey and to use it as an assessment instrument for giftedness. For these purposes, item pool involving 22 items was formed by writing items focusing on the current and common events presented in (Turkish) media from 2009 to 2011, general home problems and problems regarding to school, and by considering aspects of critical thinking dispositions which were stated by Facione (2000). The dispositions were considered as cognitive factors. The data was collected by applying the test to 162 ordinary and 65 gifted students who were enrolled in the middle and small scale elementary schools of East Anatolian Region of Turkey. The data on the instrument was analyzed for gathering reliability and validity evidence by using &quot;Confirmatory Factor Analysis,&quot; &quot;Predictive Validity Analysis&quot; and &quot;Cronbach Alpha&quot; reliability analysis. The results showed that reliability (a = 0.77) and validity evidence was enough to say that the instrument (Koksal's Critical Thinking Ability Test) is appropriate to measure critical thinking ability of the elementary students. It was found the test was appropriate to discriminate gifted students from their ordinary counterparts.
Understanding Effectiveness in School Administration: A Discourse Analysis
Author: Büyükgöze, Hilal
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: School Administration,Discourse Analysis,School Effectiveness,Qualitative Research,Principals,Work Experience,Reflection,Administrator Attitudes,Semi Structured Interviews,Case Studies,Barriers,Leadership Qualities,Teacher Motivation,Administrative Principles,Leadership Styles,Organizational Culture,Decision Making,Organizational Communication,Foreign Countries

The current paper primarily aims to investigate and interpret the observations, perceptions, and experiences of an effective school's principal through a qualitative approach. The study was designed as a case study. The participant of the study was a primary science education teacher with 17 years of experience in the profession who has been a school principal for two years. As the data collection tool, semi structured interview format -the most preferred way of obtaining data in qualitative research- was chosen. Descriptive analysis of data interpretation was adopted throughout the data analysis process. As it is stated in related literature, in descriptive analysis, the obtained data is identified in a systematic and clear way. Afterwards, these descriptions and identifications are explained and interpreted, and the cause and effect relations are examined, eventually some certain conclusions are made based on the data. The results of the present study showed that participative leadership, seeking subordinates' motivation and satisfaction, and concerning students' needs are essentials in school administration. The results were examined and interpreted within the scope of the educational administration literature and administrative and functional features of Turkish education system.
Examining Primary Pre-Service Teachers' Perspectives on Teaching Practice Courses
Author: Basturk, Savas
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Curriculum,Preservice Teacher Education,Preservice Teachers,Student Teacher Attitudes,Statistical Analysis,Likert Scales,Questionnaires,Mentors,Methods Courses,Educational Attitudes,Educational Practices,Teaching Experience,Foreign Countries,Factor Analysis

The courses &quot;school experience&quot; and &quot;teaching practice&quot; are undoubtedly among the central courses to be received by pre-service teachers who will be future teachers. Through them, pre-service teachers obtain the realistic information about their profession. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine pre-service teachers' perspectives on teaching practice courses by using a quantitative approach. Therefore, a 5-point Likert-type questionnaire was administered in order to gather data. The participants of the study were 80 pre-service teachers from the department of primary school education at a public university in the north of Turkey. The data collected were analysed and interpreted using the methods of quantitative analysis. The results have revealed that the pre-service teachers appreciated the value of teaching practice courses, but because of some reasons, they were not very happy in spending time in practice schools. They had not any problems with students and were quite pleased with their attitudes, while it is not possible to say the same thing for mentors' and administrators' attitudes.
Modelling Difficulties and Their Overcoming Strategies in the Solution of a Modelling Problem
Author: Dede, Ayse Tekin
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Mathematics,Preservice Teacher Education,Preservice Teachers,Problem Solving,Difficulty Level,Cooperative Learning,Protocol Analysis,Protocol Materials,Mathematical Models,Cognitive Style,Learning Strategies,Mathematical Aptitude,Foreign Countries

The purpose of the study is to reveal the elementary mathematics student teachers' difficulties encountered in the solution of a modelling problem, the strategies to overcome those difficulties and whether the strategies worked or not. Nineteen student teachers solved the modelling problem in their four or five-person groups, and the video records of their solution processes and their solution papers were examined. They had difficulties in simplifying, mathematizing, interpreting and validating and developed different overcoming strategies such as using the figure in the problem, real life experiences, utilizing a real object, answering the researcher, group discussion, sketching, reading the task back, considering calculation simplicity and some others peculiar to the problem. When they could overcome the strategies in simplifying and mathematizing, they could not be successful in tackling with those in interpreting and validating.
Primary School Teachers' Opinion on Digital Textbooks
Author: Magdas, Ioana
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Opinions,Textbooks,Electronic Publishing,Elementary School Teachers,Instructional Material Evaluation,Online Surveys,Questionnaires,Elementary School Curriculum,Teacher Attitudes,Usability,Preferences,Textbook Content,Textbook Standards,Foreign Countries

Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sports of Romania through order no. 3654/29.03.2012 approved the Framework Plan for Primary Education, Preparatory Grade, First and Second Grades. New subjects and syllabuses were introduced. In 2014-2015 school year appeared new school textbooks for first and second grade. Unlike the previous textbooks new ones are made not only printed but also in digital format. After 6 months of introducing digital textbooks in Romania, it is necessary to identify teachers' opinion regarding these curricular materials. For this purpose, we conducted an online questionnaire. Based on teachers' answers in this article we made an analysis of teachers' opinion on the issue of digital textbooks, we have identified certain needs of teachers and we drafted some recommendations.
Prospective Secondary Mathematics Teachers' Reflections on Teaching after Their First Teaching Experience
Author: Yazgan-Sag, Gönül
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Secondary School Mathematics,Preservice Teacher Education,Preservice Teachers,Reflection,Teaching Experience,Interviews,Student Teacher Attitudes,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Teaching Methods,Intention,Educational Experience,Group Activities,Class Activities,Attitude Change,Foreign Countries

The aim of our study was to examine prospective secondary mathematics teachers' reflections about teaching after their first teaching experience. We carried out five interviews during the two semesters with four Turkish prospective secondary mathematics teachers. The data analysis suggests that prospective secondary mathematics teachers' reflections based on their pedagogical content knowledge differs according to their experience. After &quot;Teaching methods in mathematics education&quot; course, we determined that prospective secondary mathematics teachers were willing to apply group working activities in the classroom. During &quot;School experience&quot; course, were cognized that prospective secondary mathematics teachers' ambition of applying student-oriented and group working activities in the classroom were decreased.
Some Components of Geometric Knowledge of Future Elementary School Teachers
Author: Debrenti, Edith
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Curriculum,Preservice Teacher Education,Preservice Teachers,Geometric Concepts,Geometry,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Elementary School Mathematics,Knowledge Level,Spatial Ability,Mathematical Aptitude,Minimum Competency Testing,Visualization,Foreign Countries,Statistical Analysis

Geometric experience, spatial representation, spatial visualization, understanding the world around us, and developing the ability of spatial reasoning are fundamental aims in the teaching of mathematics. (Freudenthal, 1972) Learning is a process which involves advancing from level to level. In primary school the focus is on the first two levels of the Van Hiele model (level 1. recognizing figures; level 2. analysing figures); on laying the foundation of basic terms in geometry. The aim of the research is to investigate the knowledge of teacher training students in the area of association and relationship building between geometric content and real life objects (e.g. buildings, sculptures, fountains); to provide means for revealing and studying some components of the students' geometric knowledge and point out any lacuna, as well as facilitate the completion of existing lacunas. The participants involved in this research (N = 115) had to identify two-dimensional and three-dimensional figures on the basis of 12 photos of real three-dimensional objects (selection criteria: a multitude of shapes and figures). We have focused on the accuracy, frequency and variation of terminology in students' answers, as well as on analysing mistakes. (Pjanic &amp; Nesimovic, 2015).
Effects of In-Class Hands-On Laboratories in a Large Enrollment, Multiple Section Blended Linear Circuits Course
Author: Ferri, Bonni H.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Outcomes of Education,Hands on Science,Science Laboratories,Large Group Instruction,Blended Learning,Equipment,Undergraduate Students,Engineering Education,Nonmajors,Online Courses,Active Learning,Cooperative Learning,Program Evaluation,Science Achievement,Learner Engagement,Self Esteem,Science Activities,Laboratory Experiments,Course Descriptions,Hypothesis Testing,Regression (Statistics),Scores,Student Surveys,Quasiexperimental Design

This paper examines the effects of hands-on learning in an undergraduate circuits class that is taught to non-majors; i.e., students outside of electrical and computing engineering. The course, ECE3710, is taught in a blended format facilitated by the video lectures prepared for two Massive Open Online Courses developed for the Coursera Platform. Because of the video content covered outside of class, the face-to-face portion of the class is enhanced with a number of active and collaborative learning techniques, including the inclusion of small-scale, mobile, hands-on labs. The assessment results show that the laboratory experiences play a significant role in the enhancement of student performance. The labs also have the benefit of improving students' confidence in course topics that are related to lab exercises.
Catalytical Photocyclization of Arylamines with a-Olefins in the Synthesis of 2-Alkylquinoline
Author: Makhmutov, Aynur
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Scientific Concepts,Metallurgy,Pharmacology,Botany,Chemistry

The article deals with the results of investigation of the process of catalytical photocyclization of aniline and aniline hydrochloride with a-olefins (hexene-1, heptene-1 and octene-1). The following compounds of d- and f-metals are tested as probable catalysts: CuSO4•5H2O, EuCl3•6H2O, PrCl3•6H2O, TbCl3•6H2O, La2O3, MnO2, NiSO4•6H2O, NiCl2•6H2O, Ni(NO3)2•6H2O, [Ni(NH3)4]Cl2 and [(C6H5)3P]2NiCl2. Catalytic effect in the reaction of photocyclization is only detected for nickel compounds. The products of catalytical photocyclization are 2-alkylquinolines. Maximum output is observed for 2- propylquinoline and is equal to 45% at conversion of aniline of 57%. Photosynthesis of quinolinic bases proceeds under the influence of UV-radiation at room temperature. Catalytical activity of nickel ions in a series of investigated compounds marginally depends on ligand environment. The influence of solvents' nature on the efficiency of catalytical photocyclization is detected. The output of the target product decreased in the following series: EtOH ? DMSO ? DMFA ? Toluol ? Hexane ? solventless system. Catalytical photocyclization of hydrochloride aniline with a-olefine in water environment relates to ecologically friendly way of 2-alkylquinolines synthesis.
The Problem Solving Studio: An Apprenticeship Environment for Aspiring Engineers
Author: Le Doux, Joseph M.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Problem Solving,Apprenticeships,Engineering Education,Teaching Methods,Concept Formation,Scientific Concepts,Teamwork,Mentors,Feedback (Response),Difficulty Level,Introductory Courses,Biomedicine,Course Content,Instructional Effectiveness,Blended Learning,Energy,Cooperative Learning,Problem Based Learning,Undergraduate Students

This paper describes the problem-solving studio (PSS) learning environment. PSS was designed to teach students how to solve difficult analytical engineering problems without resorting to rote memorization of algorithms, while at the same time developing their deep conceptual understanding of the course topics. There are several key features of PSS. First, students work in teams of two to solve problems, working at the same table with another team of two. The student teams and tables are stable, remaining together for most of the semester. The teams work in a public, shared problem-solving space that allows in-class mentors (near peers of the students) and the instructor to observe and critique their work. The public nature of the work enables the instructor to provide students with real-time, situated feedback. In addition, it enables the instructor to tailor the challenge level to the needs of each team, such that the problem is too difficult for any one student to solve on their own, but reasonable enough that the team can solve it together, given the support that the PSS environment provides. We call this targeted adjustment of the problem's difficulty dynamic scaffolding. PSS provides the support students need through a specific set of participant structures that govern how the instructors, in-class mentors, and students interact during class. This paper describes the PSS approach and how it has been implemented in an entry-level course at Georgia Tech called &quot;Conservation Principles of Biomedical Engineering (BMED 2210)&quot;. Our results show that even though PSS emphasizes engineering problem-solving skills, the students' conceptual understanding of the material significantly improves, as measured by Shallcross' material and energy balances concept inventory. The implications of our work, particularly with respect to the use of PSS in flipped classrooms, are discussed.
Implementing and Assessing a Flipped Classroom Model for First-Year Engineering Design
Author: Saterbak, Ann
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Engineering Education,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Teaching Methods,Homework,Video Technology,Design,Lecture Method,Learning Activities,Learning Modules,Pretests Posttests,Tests,Scores,Comparative Analysis,College Faculty,Blended Learning

Faculty at Rice University are creating instructional resources to support teaching first-year engineering design using a flipped classroom model. This implementation of flipped pedagogy is unusual because content-driven, lecture courses are usually targeted for flipping, not project-based design courses that already incorporate an abundance of active learning. However, during the first five semesters in which first-year engineering design was offered at Rice, almost 30% of class time conformed to the traditional lecture model. In fall 2014 a partially flipped model that placed greater emphasis on higher levels of Bloom's taxonomy during class time was introduced to facilitate student development in design topics. To achieve this goal, lecture time was replaced with in-class exercises that require students to analyze and evaluate design situations or problems, many of which were carefully crafted to expose common pitfalls that occur during the design process. To date, the team has produced flipped classroom resources for ten modules of the engineering design process and professional skills: design criteria, user-defined scales, pairwise comparison charts, brainstorming, decomposition, morphological charts, Pugh screening matrix, Pugh scoring matrix, Gantt charts, and presenting a design proposal. Each module includes three components: topical videos, summative quizzes, and in-class exercises. Work is ongoing to examine the impact of using a flipped classroom model in this first-year engineering design course. Two assessment methods have been deployed, and a third one is underway. One assessment method uses a pre- and post-course assignment to measure students' application of the design process. A second method focuses on student exam scores. A direct comparison of student learning in the partially flipped model versus the lecture model shows no statistically significant differences, which is consistent with some implementations reported in the literature.
Comparing the Effectiveness of Blended, Semi-Flipped, and Flipped Formats in an Engineering Numerical Methods Course
Author: Clark, Renee M.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Engineering Education,Undergraduate Students,Blended Learning,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Homework,Video Technology,Comparative Analysis,Tests,Effect Size,Instructional Effectiveness,Classroom Environment,Student Surveys,Active Learning,Lecture Method

Blended, flipped, and semi-flipped instructional approaches were used in various sections of a numerical methods course for undergraduate mechanical engineers. During the spring of 2014, a blended approach was used; in the summer of 2014, a combination of blended and flipped instruction was used to deliver a semi-flipped course; and in the fall of 2014, a fully-flipped approach was taken. Blended instruction aims to integrate technology-driven instruction with face-to-face learning and is often used to enhance the traditional lecture. With &quot;flipped&quot; instruction, students practice skills during class after viewing or/and reading lecture content beforehand. To directly assess these instructional methods, we compared multiple-choice and free response results from identical final exams. We did this for all students as well as demographic segments of interest to our research, including underrepresented minorities and transfer students. We uncovered several differences having medium to large effect sizes, suggesting that some degree of flipped instruction may have been more beneficial than blended learning for both lower and higher-order skills development. The students rated the classroom environment using Fraser's College and University Classroom Environment Inventory (CUCEI). The three classroom environments were statistically similar with small effect sizes. However, there was a trend in lower ratings for the flipped and semi-flipped classrooms versus the blended classroom across the various environmental dimensions. This may indicate that blended instruction had the most desirable classroom environment. Based on an evaluation survey, only 38% of respondents preferred flipped instruction to usual methods, although 54% preferred active learning to lecture. In an open-ended question, the most frequently-stated benefits of flipped instruction involved enhanced learning or learning processes, and engagement and professional behaviors. These results aligned with our focus group results. This study is believed to be one of the first to compare these three modalities in a STEM course.