ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
An Alternative Route to Teaching Fraction Division: Abstraction of Common Denominator Algorithm
Author: Zembat, Ismail Özgür
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mathematics Instruction,Arithmetic,Mathematics,Elementary School Mathematics,Preservice Teachers,Elementary Education,Concept Formation,Interviews

From a curricular stand point, the traditional invert and multiply algorithm for division of fractions provides few affordances for linking to a rich understanding of fractions. On the other hand, an alternative algorithm, called common denominator algorithm, has many such affordances. The current study serves as an argument for shifting curriculum for fraction division from use of invert and multiply algorithm as a basis to the use of common denominator algorithm as a basis. This was accomplished with the analysis of learning of two prospective elementary teachers being an illustration of how to realize those conceptual affordances. In doing so, the article proposes an instructional sequence and details it by referring to both the (mathematical and pedagogical) advantages and the disadvantages. As a result, this algorithm has a conceptual basis depending on basic operations of partitioning, unitizing, and counting, which make it accessible to learners. Also, when participants are encouraged to construct this algorithm based on their work with diagrams, common denominator algorithm formalizes the work that they do with diagrams.
Prospective Elementary School Teachers' Views about Socioscientific Issues: A Concurrent Parallel Design Study
Author: Özden, Muhammet
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Preservice Teachers,Elementary Education,Student Attitudes,Science and Society,Mixed Methods Research,Semi Structured Interviews,Questionnaires,Science Education

The purpose of this research is to examine the prospective elementary school teachers' perceptions on socioscientific issues. The research was conducted on prospective elementary school teachers studying at a university located in western Turkey. The researcher first taught the subjects of global warming and nuclear power plants from a perspective of socioscientific issues in the science and technology education course and then conducted the research. Concurrent parallel design, one of the mixed-method research approaches, was used to conduct the research. In this context, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight teachers in the qualitative strand of the study to explore the phenomenon. The data obtained from the interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. During the quantitative strand of the research, 113 prospective teachers were administered a questionnaire form. The results of the study revealed that none of the participating prospective teachers mentioned about the religious and cultural characteristics of socioscientific issues, and they need training about how to use socioscientific issues in teaching.
ISMS: A New Model for Improving Student Motivation and Self-Esteem in Primary Education
Author: Ghilay, Yaron
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Students,Student Motivation,Self Esteem,Student Improvement,Creative Thinking,Creative Activities,Pretests Posttests,Likert Scales,Questionnaires,Program Effectiveness,Affective Objectives,Improvement Programs,Educational Practices,Participant Satisfaction,Student Attitudes,Foreign Countries,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis

In this study we introduce a new model for primary education called ISMS: Improving Student Motivation and Self-esteem. Following a two-year study undertaken in a primary school (n = 67), the new model was found to be successful. Students who participated in the research, reported that a course based on ISMS principles was very helpful for strengthening their perceived ability and their motivation to make an effort. They became more enthusiastic, responsible, self-confident, optimistic and determined to succeed. The meaning of such findings is that it is possible to improve key variables having vital influence on student learning and academic performance. The ISMS model was found to be applicable to primary education, in particular, but it may be suitable to secondary schools as well.
An Investigation into the Changes in Perceptions of and Attitudes Towards Learning English in a Malaysian College
Author: Choy, S. Chee
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,College Students,Student Attitudes,Attitude Change,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Classroom Environment,Educational Environment,Family Characteristics,Background,Student Journals,Positive Attitudes,Semi Structured Interviews,Qualitative Research

This paper reports on an investigation into the changes in students' attitudes towards learning English in a Malaysian college. The main focus of the study is to investigate the changes in attitudes towards learning English during the critical transition period from secondary school, where the medium of instruction is Malay, to college, where the medium of instruction is in English. Other factors like classroom and school environment, teaching methodologies, and the influence of home background were also considered. A sample of 100 students enrolled in a first level English course during their first semester in a Malaysian college was used for the study. Data were collected using students' weekly journals and interviews of students. Analysis of the data was done qualitatively using an interpretive approach. The findings revealed that there were differences in students' perceptions of and attitudes towards learning English in secondary school and college. Students' attitudes seemed more positive in college and they perceived the college social and classroom environment to be more conducive for learning English. The implications from the study suggest that the school social environment and the family background influence students' attitudes towards learning English.
Teaching Grant Writing with Service Learning
Author: Griffith, James D.
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Service Learning,Grantsmanship,Proposal Writing,Program Evaluation,Technical Writing,Writing Strategies,Writing Skills,Community Organizations,Graduate Students,Qualitative Research,Participant Satisfaction,Best Practices,Masters Programs,Multiple Choice Tests,Teaching Methods,Educational Practices,Pretests Posttests

Grant writing experience can be a valuable asset for students completing masters-level degree programs across a variety of disciplines. A service learning grant writing project was incorporated in a multidisciplinary program evaluation course as part of a writing requirement. Twelve students served as &quot;ghost writers&quot; and wrote grant proposals to foundations for community organizations. Projects were assessed by ratings provided by faculty across departments who served as judges. Qualitative data was collected from students and organizational sponsors that showed high levels of satisfaction from both groups and an awareness of reciprocity of benefit from service learning were observed in both groups. Benefits and limitations of the pedagogical technique are discussed.
Assessing the Promise of a Supplemental Reading Intervention for At-Risk First Grade Students in a Public School Setting
Author: Mokhtari, Kouider
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Quasiexperimental Design,Reading Instruction,Elementary School Teachers,Grade 1,At Risk Students,Tutoring,Federal Legislation,Educational Legislation,Disabilities,Equal Education,Instructional Effectiveness,Demography,Measures (Individuals),Case Studies

In this exploratory quasi-experimental case study, we assessed the promise of a yearlong supplemental reading intervention with a small pilot group of at-risk first grade readers in an elementary school setting. Using standardized measures of reading proficiency, we found that after 47 hours of one-on-one tutoring instruction, students read significantly more proficiently than did non-tutored students in a matched group of first grade peers in the same school. These results are encouraging in light of literacy research documenting the impact of one-on-one tutoring by qualified tutors of at-risk early grade readers. We used lessons learned from this pilot study to help inform and direct the necessary revisions and refinements of future reading interventions with the goal of building the school's capacity to support the literacy development of at-risk readers so that they can catch up with their typically developing peers.
Peer TA Mentoring in a Foreign Language Program
Author: Silva, Gláucia V.
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mentors,Second Language Programs,Peer Teaching,Individualized Instruction,Role Perception,Time on Task,Teaching Assistants,Teacher Collaboration,Experienced Teachers,Novices,Program Descriptions,Guidance Programs,Models,Teacher Improvement,Higher Education

This paper describes a peer-mentoring program in a large language department. Experienced Teaching Associates (TAs) served as peer mentors to novice TAs, providing the type of individualized guidance that new TAs need. The peer mentoring model has several advantages over the supervision-only model, including one-on-one help, multiple classroom visits and meetings, and regular feedback on various aspects of teaching. The experience that TAs share at different levels, as teachers and as students, is also important and plays a positive role in a peer mentoring program. Even though the program described has been instituted in a language department, the model may be useful to departments in other disciplines that also employ a large number of TAs.
Lesson Study as a Model for Building Pedagogical Knowledge and Improving Teaching
Author: Cerbin, William
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Instructional Improvement,Models,Lesson Plans,Communities of Practice,Teamwork,Team Teaching,Cooperative Planning,Teacher Collaboration,Classroom Environment,Classroom Techniques,Educational Practices,Behavioral Objectives,Action Research,Classroom Observation Techniques,Evidence,Thinking Skills,College Faculty

This paper proposes a model for building pedagogical knowledge and improving teaching based on the practice of lesson study. In lesson study a small group of instructors jointly designs, teaches, studies and refines a single class lesson called a research lesson. We describe how college teachers can do lesson study in their classrooms. We explore how the practice of lesson study creates multiple pathways for improving teaching and how the knowledge teachers create can help to advance the practice of teaching in their fields.
A Study of Geometry Content Knowledge of Elementary Preservice Teachers
Author: Aslan-Tutak, Fatma
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Geometry,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Geometric Concepts,Methods Courses,Pretests Posttests,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Instructional Effectiveness,Elementary Education,Mathematics Instruction,Mixed Methods Research,Interviews,Observation,Personal Narratives

The purpose of this research is to examine preservice elementary school teachers' geometry learning as investigated by both qualitative and quantitative methods. For the qualitative investigation, narrative analysis and thematic analysis methods were used. The findings of narrative analysis indicated two main kinds of stories: as a learner and as a beginning teacher. The thematic analysis findings yield to three themes: history of learning geometry, perceptions about geometry, effective geometry instructional practices. The findings informed the quantitative investigation on geometry content knowledge for the case of quadrilaterals. During the second phase of the study, 102 participants who enrolled in the methods course completed pre and post test of teachers' geometry content knowledge. Treatment group participants (n = 54) received series of activities (geometry activities and student work analysis) focusing on quadrilaterals, and control group participants (n = 48) received traditional instruction. Repeated measures ANOVA results showed a significant change in treatment group participants' geometry content knowledge. The mixed ANOVA results indicated a significant main effect of knowledge but no significant interaction between geometry content knowledge and grouping. Even though treatment group participants' geometry content knowledge growth was significant, the difference between treatment group and control group participants' growth in geometry content knowledge was not significant. This study informs mathematics teacher education in three important areas; limited knowledge of preservice teachers' geometry content knowledge, integrating mathematics content and the context of teaching into methods course, and use of student work with preservice teachers.
Walking the Talk: The Complexities of Teaching about Teaching
Author: Ball, Tamara
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Theories,Introductory Courses,Teaching Methods,Qualitative Research,Undergraduate Students,Feedback (Response),Teaching Assistants,Outcomes of Education,Expectation,Epistemology,Instructional Design,Course Evaluation

Teaching a course entitled &quot;Introduction to Theories of Education&quot; requires that one practice what one is preaching. We describe an attempt to organize and provide undergraduates enrolled in an introductory course of 300+ students, with a viable, yet more collaborative and &quot;product-based&quot; alternative to the familiar lecture and test format. This qualitative study considers various forms of feedback that were elicited from both students and the course teaching assistants regarding the learning outcomes facilitated or hindered by this alternative format. Our analysis offers insight into some important ways the particular learning activities promoted in this course design intersect with larger institutional norms that infuse organizations (like universities) with social value, and how students negotiate the university experience. Findings suggest that &quot;good students&quot; spend considerable energy learning to conform to what they believe to be their instructors' expectations, often at the expense of learning-with-understanding. However, learning-with-understanding may also be encumbered by the ambiguity or uncertainty that accompanies the removal of clear and explicit expectations. Tentative suggestions are offered explaining why and how some students gained proficiency in goal-formation and metacognition while simultaneously overcoming a sense of ambiguity or uncertainty.
A Proposed E-Learning Policy Field for the Academy
Author: Parchoma, Gale
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Educational Policy,Social Theories,Program Implementation,Higher Education,Knowledge Economy,Postmodernism,Politics of Education,Social Influences,Educational Change,Organizational Change,Evaluation Criteria,Feasibility Studies,Global Approach

In this article, Lewin's (1951) social field theory is used as a framework for analyzing the potential for implementing scalable and sustainable e-learning initiatives in the academy. Powerful external economic and social forces coming to bear on academic leadership decisions are considered. The impacts of the emergence of the global learning society, knowledge economy, and information technology paradigm are explored. Five social forces--postmodernism, the interpretive turn, identity politics, globalization, and the post-colonial critique (Lincoln, 2001)--are examined. Existing and emergent pressures, exerted by both external and internal socioeconomic forces, are analyzed for their potential to support or inhibit adoption of e-learning initiatives into research, teaching, and learning activities. An e-learning policy field is posited.
Pre-School Students' Informal Acquisitions Regarding the Concepts of Point and Straight Line
Author: Orbay, Keziban
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Qualitative Research,Preschool Children,Geometry,Geometric Concepts,Cognitive Structures,Interviews,Kindergarten,Young Children,Nursery Schools,Knowledge Level

This study aimed to investigate the informal cognitive structures regarding &quot;point&quot; and &quot;straight line&quot;--two basic and undefined terms of geometry--in children registered in preschool--the previous step before in-class formal education process. The study was conducted with the participation of 50 children enrolled in nursery, kindergarten and preschools of a total of five educational institutions--three public and two private--in a city which is in the middle of the Turkey. The qualitative research model was utilized in the study since observing, analyzing and assessing children's intuitive thinking and informal knowledge construction process would be difficult and good results would not be obtained via quantitative research methods. Data were collected through clinical interview technique. Results show that children, in general, possess major and to a large extent correct acquisitions that would be the basis of subsequent formal concept development process in children.
Impacting Children's Health and Academic Performance through Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programming
Author: Brusseau, Timothy A.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Physical Activities,Comprehensive School Health Education,Child Health,Health Related Fitness,Health Promotion,Academic Achievement,Physical Education,Educational Quality,Teacher Participation,Family Involvement,Community Involvement,Partnerships in Education,Coordination,Elementary Secondary Education,Educational Practices,Change Strategies

Physical activity is associated with numerous academic and health benefits. Furthermore, schools have been identified as an ideal location to promote physical activity as most youth attend school regularly from ages 5-18. Unfortunately, in an effort to increase academic learning time, schools have been eliminating traditional activity opportunities including physical education and recess. To combat physical inactivity in you, numerous organizations are promoting a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program to encourage academic achievement and overall health. Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs include five components and should be centered around 1) quality physical education, 2) physical activity before and after school, 3) physical activity during school (both recess and classroom activity), 4) staff involvement, and 5) family and community engagement.
Some Reflections from Pre-Service Elementary Teachers' Practice Teaching on the Area of Understanding Data in the Math-Teaching Course
Author: Dogan Temur, Özlem
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Elementary Education,Student Teaching,Mathematics Instruction,Data Interpretation,Data Analysis,Statistics,Lesson Plans,Grade 1,Grade 2,Grade 3,Grade 4,Elementary School Mathematics,Tables (Data),Graphs,Observation

With developing technology statistical information and data sources become a very important issues and from primary school it has become necessary to gain the skills for making interpreting and making sense of data. These skills consist of collecting information, arrangement and analysis of collected data and the interpretation of the results. The duty of guiding students in their process of making statistical information meaningful falls upon teachers. This study, whose aim was to investigate prepared course content for sub-learning area in grade 1-4 math course and obtained experiences by pre-service elementary teachers in the schools they went as a part of teaching practice course, was conducted with nine fourth-year students attending an undergraduate program of elementary teaching in a state university during 2013-2014 academic year. Pre-service teachers were each asked to prepare and conduct a lesson plan suitable for the lesson outcomes and the level of the classes that they were to teach. Their applications were assessed by semi-structured observation form about data teaching developed by the researchers. It was observed that pre-service teachers could not reflect given lesson outcomes on the topic of data to the lessons they prepared to teach during their teaching practice. In the implementations, it was noted that pre-service teachers could not effectively include students in both collecting and arrangement as well as interpretation processes of the information and that they taught in teacher-centered manner although they prepared a correct activity. It was also noted that pre-service teachers could not well enough differentiate category and concept of variable in table and graph activities.
The Effect of Cooperative Learning on Students' Achievement and Views on the Science and Technology Course
Author: Altun, Sertel
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Cooperative Learning,Instructional Effectiveness,Academic Achievement,Student Attitudes,Science Instruction,Grade 6,Mixed Methods Research,Middle School Students,Focus Groups,Content Analysis,Achievement Tests,Pretests Posttests,Gender Differences

The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficiency of learning plan implementation prepared with the cooperative learning method. In particular, the study addresses the effect of cooperative learning on students' achievement and their views regarding the &quot;Systems in Our Body&quot; unit of the 6th grade Science and Technology lesson. For this purpose, mixed method was used. The study is conducted in the second term of the 2013-2014 academic year, on a study group consisted of 7 girls and 13 boys, a total of 20 students of a private middle school in Istanbul. An achievement scale was utilized for the quantitative data and focus group interviews were hold for the qualitative data. While t-test was used for the quantitative findings, content analysis technique was used for the qualitative data. The result of the study indicated that CL method had a favorable effect on learning. The cooperation based learning-teaching environment provided cooperation, supported permanent learning, provided opportunities to be successful, contributed to the development of social and personal skills, but also caused worry as it requires students to be successful at all stages.
Assessing Preschool Teachers' Practices to Promote Self-Regulated Learning
Author: Adagideli, Fahretdin Hasan
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preschool Teachers,Educational Practices,Independent Study,Self Disclosure (Individuals),Psychometrics,Test Items,Likert Scales,Item Analysis,Test Reliability,Test Validity,Metacognition,Learning Motivation,Intentional Learning,Learning Processes,Factor Analysis,Foreign Countries,Test Construction

Recent research reveals that in preschool years, through pedagogical interventions, preschool teachers can and should promote self-regulated learning. The main aim of this study is to develop a self-report instrument to assess preschool teachers' practices to promote self-regulated learning. A pool of 50 items was recruited through literature review. Items, then, were formulated as statements, to which the teachers could respond on a Likert-scale. In line with the expert and teacher opinions, twenty statements were removed from the original pool and some statements were reformulated. The latest version of the scale consisted of 21 statements. The participants were preschool teacher (N = 169) from Istanbul. Empirical testing at item and scale level showed that T-SRL is a reliable and a valid instrument to assess preschool teachers' classroom practices promoting self-regulated learning of their children at the age of 3-6.