ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
A Multicontextual Model for Broadening Participation in STEM Related Disciplines
Author: Brown, Edward E., Jr.
Date: 2011-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Graduation Rate,American Indians,Affirmative Action,Minority Groups,Latin Americans,STEM Education,Access to Education,Undergraduate Study,Disproportionate Representation,Females,African Americans,Enrollment Trends,Student Diversity,Student Recruitment,Social Influences,Academic Persistence,Cultural Pluralism,Educational Environment,Socioeconomic Status,Learning Laboratories,Rehabilitation,Robotics,Mentors,Professional Development

This paper argues that the "pipeline", leading to the production and increase of undergraduate engineering and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) related degrees by underrepresented student populations (which include female and AALANA (African American, Latin American and Native American) students), has become more of a "funnel". After five decades of affirmative action-oriented programs and laws, there is still a disconnect at most major research colleges and universities between the number of these students entering into the various STEM related disciplines as freshmen and the total number that successfully complete the baccalaureate STEM degree. Current programs address superficial/peripheral issues related to diversity (i.e., recruitment), but not the underlying sociological and anthropological aspects that lead to real solutions with permanent results (i.e., increased retention and graduation rates along with a more pluralistic campus environment where diversity is respected, celebrated and embraced in the STEM disciplines). Thus, this paper suggests that a "multicontextual" model that emphasizes the latter will ultimately bridge this disconnect and achieve the more desirable "affirmative outcomes" that previous affirmative-action-oriented initiatives were originally put in place to accomplish. (Contains 7 figures.)
Examining the Role of Principals in the Retention of New Teachers
Author: Cross, Katherine
Date: 2011-05-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Teacher Persistence,School Administration,Career Change,Work Environment,Teaching Experience,Beginning Teachers,School Holding Power,Principals,Administrator Role,Faculty Mobility,Qualitative Research,Interviews,Elementary School Teachers,Middle School Teachers

New teachers are faced with many challenges during the first few years of teaching. They have to adjust to a new work environment, interact with parents, resolve a variety of conflicts, and design stimulating lessons for their students--often with few resources at hand. The large and varied workload that teachers carry during their first few years can often be overwhelming and intimidating. Without the proper support from their colleagues and principal, the likelihood of new teachers leaving the profession is high. In fact, it is estimated that fifty percent of new teachers leave the profession within five years of teaching. This is a chronic issue for schools and districts across America. The turnover of new teachers is very harmful to our Nation's school system--both financially and due to the discontinuity it brings within school communities. While school districts have little flexibility over the amount of money allotted to the support of first-time teachers, they &quot;can&quot; control the specific methods used and quality their of support. One of the most influential factors in determining new teacher retention is the level of support from the principal and school administration. The purpose of this study is to examine the role principals play in the retention--or turnover--of first-time teachers, and to learn what cost-effective methods principals can utilize to provide support for their new teachers. This study follows a qualitative design using interviews as the format. The participants included new teachers with three years or less teaching experience and an experienced education professional and writer. Results indicated that much can be done at the school level to retain new teachers, however much of the power to make this happen lies in the hands of the principal.
School to Work: Using Active Learning to Teach Business Writing
Author: Karmas, Cristina
Date: 2011-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Technical Writing,Business Communication,Learning Readiness,Learning Strategies,Active Learning,Lecture Method,Classroom Techniques,Education Work Relationship,College Instruction,Instructional Innovation,Writing Instruction,Writing Exercises,Guidelines

To succeed as tomorrow's workers in the knowledge society of the new century--a world characterized by ceaseless change, boundless knowledge and endless doubt, today's business writing students must develop the skills and traits needed to become creative problem-solvers, flexible team-players and risk-taking life-time learners (Bereiter, 2002a). And teachers must play an important role in helping students transit successfully from school to work by finding ways to develop useful life skills and the flexibility that facilitates a willingness to work cooperatively and a readiness to learn continuously. Preparing today's students for tomorrow's work world challenges 21st century teachers to reinvent their professional personas by creating a fresh professionalism founded not on old, comfortable abilities and attitudes, but on new, unfamiliar skills and traits. For many teachers (most of whom teach exactly as they were taught--typically, following the talk-chalk model that fills a classroom with five or 10 rows of passive listeners in fixed seats, and fills a class period with 50 or 60 minutes of garbled monotones in lecture format), learning to teach in ways they were not taught represents the greatest challenge of their careers (Silberman, 1996; Hargreaves, 2003). Challenging students and teachers to rearrange the furniture and to reconfigure the lecture, a well-considered active learning model (Bonwell &amp; Eison, 1991) can be applied to the business writing classroom (an application unexplored in the literature) to help students develop the abilities and attitudes most required for success in the work world of the 21st century (an area explored in the &quot;futuristic business literature&quot;)--to help students learn and transit. In fact, classes in business writing, professional writing and technical writing can function, through the use of active learning strategies, as dynamic workshops in which students can prepare for the change and doubt of the knowledge society by becoming creative and flexible, cooperative and confident, eager and ready to learn and work. The paper explores the active learning techniques (e.g., preview lists) used successfully in a decade of business writing classes taught at a typical Midwestern American university. (Contains 6 footnotes.)
The Effect of Culture Integrated Language Courses on Foreign Language Education
Author: Omer, Kocer
Date: 2011-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Languages,Second Language Learning,French,Second Language Instruction,Teaching Methods,Cultural Awareness,Foreign Countries,Literature,Geography,History,Interdisciplinary Approach,Figurative Language,Student Attitudes,Qualitative Research,Learning Processes

When examined carefully, it is seen that there is not an available and detailed curriculum designed for the aim of foreign language teaching with integrated cultural items of the target language in the programs of the schools under authority of the Ministry of Education and Turkish higher education institutions. In recent years, the specialists have an agreement on the issue that foreign language instruction should be carried out by the means of target language's history, literature, geography and also its social characteristics. The idiom &quot;it's raining cats and dogs&quot; can be misinterpreted by a Turkish student without the knowledge of this idiom's story in English history as &quot;Cats and dogs are pouring down from the sky&quot;. An important French architectural building &quot;Saint Mary Cathedral, Notre Dame de Paris&quot; can be misunderstood as &quot;Our Parisian Woman&quot; by a student who is unfamiliar with French culture. Both examples show that encountered foreign words and phrases can be misunderstood and mostly these words are perceived and interpreted according to learners' own cultural figures. The aims of this study are to show the significance of culture-based foreign language courses and to make a contribution to the literature by regarding the views of researchers believing that culture and language are inseparable concepts. In this context, Erzincan University French Language Teaching Department students' opinions on the relation between culture and language learning were received with the application of qualitative structured written response method. Then, document analysis of written comments was evaluated. Consequently, the analysis on the participants' written comments showed that a culture integrated foreign language course can make positive contributions to students' learning, language learning process and learning environment. (Contains 2 tables.)
The Perceptions of Administrators Concerning the One Florida Initiative
Author: Hilton, Adriel A.
Date: 2011-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Law Schools,Program Effectiveness,Affirmative Action,Administrator Attitudes,Minority Groups,Critical Theory,State Legislation,Educational Legislation,Politics of Education,Outreach Programs,Legal Education (Professions),Disproportionate Representation,Statistical Data,Civil Rights Legislation

The purpose of this study was to discover the perceptions of Florida law school administrators on the impact of the OFI (one Florida initiative) and the addition of two MSI (minority serving institution) law schools on diversity in Florida's legal profession. This research explored the impact of Governor Bush's EO (executive order) on diversity within the SUS (state university system) of Florida law schools. Further, this study examined the impact of the creation of two MSI law schools after implementation of the OFI, as perceived by the administrators. The concept of CRT (critical race theory) provides modern legal debates outlining the usefulness of historical civil rights policies in opinionated climates. This study will examine the role of CRT in relation to affirmative action and desegregation case law. CRT forms the framework for examining the impact of the creation of two MSI law schools in the state of Florida. In conclusion, this study found that minority representation in law schools has improved in Florida as a result of the OFI as well as the addition of two MSI law schools. Black representation, however, continues to lag behind other races, particularly the Hispanic population. This study concluded that the OFI has helped improve minority representation in the legal profession.
Best Practices for Teaching Those Afraid in Water
Author: Stillwell, Belinda E.
Date: 2011-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Aquatic Sports,Water,Instruction,Anxiety,At Risk Students,Teaching Methods,Best Practices,Desensitization,Individualized Instruction

The primary purpose of this study is to share what has been found to work well in professional practice based on a series of exploratory scholarly studies as well as information gathered informally from students and through specialized aquatic workshops, conferences and seminars. Research has shown that there is an existing population of at-risk swimmers, and, therefore, it is inevitable that many aquatic professionals will encounter individuals in need of a specialized approach to learning. The concept of systematic desensitization holds great promise and, when refined, can be introduced to educators to augment existing swimming instruction and eventually contribute to the extinction of preventable drowning.
Measuring Up Internationally: Developing Skills and Knowledge for the Global Knowledge Economy. National Center Report #06-7
Author: Wagner, Alan
Date: 2006-09-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Evidence,Higher Education,Graduation Rate,High School Graduates,College Bound Students,Student Participation,Skill Development,Access to Education,Educational Attainment,Achievement Gains,Achievement Rating,Academic Achievement,Educational Change,College Graduates,Knowledge Level,Educational Improvement,Enrollment Rate,Educational Trends,Enrollment Trends

Higher education globalizes: its potential contributions are now seen as a crucial component of cross-border economic competitiveness. Accumulating evidence suggests that a highly qualified workforce contributes substantially to a nation's economic competitiveness, particularly when a large share of the workforce has acquired skills and knowledge through higher education. These findings apply to states as well as nations; those states that improve opportunities for education and training beyond high school advance their residents' employment prospects and the competitiveness of their overall workforce. This report concludes that although the United States continues to rank among the leaders in comparisons of performance in higher education, its leadership position has eroded. No longer the clear-cut top performer in participation and completion rates, the United States has been joined by other countries that have expanded access to and completion of higher education programs. Further, comparisons of direct measures of learning show the United States as trailing the leading countries. As a result, as U.S. states strengthen higher education opportunity and outcomes, they may find that other countries also have stronger or improving performance levels. Finally, all countries face challenges in reducing gaps in higher education participation, completion, and learning by income, social class, region, or ethnic group. In Korea and Finland, among other countries, rising rates of attainment at the high school level suggest that historic barriers to access may be falling. In these countries, proficiency levels of school children imply strong foundations for learning. The need to reduce inequality in access, completion, and learning is becoming increasingly important as the workforce demands in many countries increase--as is the case in individual U.S. states and in the United States as a whole. How well each nation responds to this challenge promises to be a key policy question in strengthening the knowledge and skills of its population and the competitiveness of its workforce. (Contains 10 tables and 18 footnotes.)
The Educational Pipeline: Big Investment, Big Returns. Policy Alert
Author: National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education
Date: 2004-04-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Higher Education,Educational Policy,High School Graduates,Enrollment,College Attendance,Academic Persistence,Educational Attainment,Articulation (Education)

"Policy Alert" is a publication series that summarizes important policy findings affecting the future of higher education. This issue looks at the benefits of increasing a state's "educational capital," and highlights four key transition points of the "educational pipeline" marking students' progress from high school to completion of a college degree. (Contains 2 tables.)
Interim Evaluation of the National Literacy Program. Final Report
Author: Human Resources and Social Development Canada
Date: 2007-10-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Summative Evaluation,Case Studies,Literacy,Program Evaluation,Relevance (Education),Program Implementation,Success,Program Improvement,Change Strategies,Data Collection,National Programs,Program Descriptions,Evaluation Methods,Interviews,Position Papers,Content Analysis,Program Effectiveness,Research Reports,Audits (Verification),Foreign Countries,Stakeholders

The evaluation examined issues related to: (1) Rationale and Relevance; (2) Implementation; and (3) Success. In addition, the interim evaluation was intended to: (1) Determine whether sufficient data was being collected to inform the summative evaluation and identify opportunities for improvement to fill any potential gaps; (2) Assess whether the changes brought to the logic model following the 2002 evaluation, including the clarification of the program definitions, objectives, and targets, made achievement of NLP objectives more measurable; and (3) Assess whether new data collection requirements and methodologies have been put into place since the 2002 evaluation to ensure that both short and long-term outcomes, including changes made since the 2002 summative evaluation, can be measured. Finally, the interim evaluation assessed NLP performance in relation to commitments made in the National Literacy Secretariat (NLS) Management Response to the 2002 summative evaluation, including: (1) Increasing the transparency of funding decisions; (2) Increasing the accessibility of projects and project results; (3) Simplifying the funding application process; (4) Increasing the reliability and credibility of local research projects; (5) Increasing the usage of contributions; and (6) Developing a framework for a Pan-Canadian Literacy Strategy. Appendices include: (1) Evaluation Matrix; (2) Project Case Studies; (3) Organisation Case Studies; (4) Expert Panel Products; and (5) NLP Logic Model. (Contains 6 tables, 1 figure and 25 footnotes.)
Working Smarter: The Skill Bias of Computer Technologies. The Evolving Workplace Series
Author: Wannell, Ted
Date: 2002-05-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Working Hours,Human Capital,Employees,Organizational Change,Foreign Countries,Labor Force Development,Human Resources,Information Technology,Technology Integration,Computers,Educational Attainment,Labor Turnover,Surveys,Work Environment,Training,Computer Literacy,Costs

This document provides data from the new Workplace and Employee Survey (WES) conducted by Statistics Canada with the support of Human Resources Development Canada. The survey consists of two components: (1) a workplace survey on the adoption of technologies, organizational change, training and other human resource practices, business strategies, and labour turnover in workplaces; and (2) a survey of employees within these same workplaces covering wages, hours of work, job type, human capital, use of technologies and training. The result is a rich new source of linked information on workplaces and their employees. Appendices include: (1) Concepts and Methods; (2) Construction of Education Variables; (3) Industry and Region Characteristics; (4) Detail Results of Training Regression. A bibliography is included. (Contains 15 tables and 7 footnotes.)
Formative Evaluation of the International Academic Mobility Initiative. Final Report
Author: Human Resources Development Canada
Date: 2002-06-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Higher Education,Formative Evaluation,Foreign Countries,Labor Force Development,Relevance (Education),Program Design,Delivery Systems,Partnerships in Education,Intercollegiate Cooperation,Program Effectiveness,Evaluation Problems,Program Evaluation,Program Descriptions,Outreach Programs,International Programs

The goals of the International Academic Mobility (IAM) Initiative are to advance the development of international skills, knowledge and understanding among students and promote academic co-operation and institutional linkages among colleges and universities. The IAM Initiative includes the administration of two programs created by Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) in 1995: the Canada-European Community Program for Co-operation in Higher Education and Training, and the Program for North American Mobility in Higher Education. These programs support consortium-based initiatives that are developed and carried out by Canadian universities and colleges in collaboration with institutions in other countries. The purpose of the formative evaluation was to assess the relevance, design and delivery, and the short-term benefits of the two IAM programs. The evaluation focused on projects accepted for funding between 1995 and 1998. During these years, IAM funded 30 projects under the Program for North American Mobility in Higher Education and 25 projects under the Canada-European Community Program for Co-operation in Higher Education and Training. The methodology used to conduct the formative evaluation included a literature review and surveys of Canadian project directors and educational partners, Canadian applicants, and participating Canadian students. The small sample sizes limit any inference from the survey results to the population of IAM participants and unsuccessful applicants as a whole. Some tentative conclusions are possible, however, based on the literature review and the information gathered by the formative evaluation: (1) The concept of international student exchange is widely supported within the academic community. Both faculty and students endorse the concept, as do studies of international exchange in other countries; (2) It is difficult to identify outcomes in terms of changes to career choice or career progress, but most students believe the experience was beneficial; (3) Consideration could be given to renewable funding for successful projects. The program will benefit from having experienced faculty run projects. To ensure access to a wider number of faculty members, the program could limit the number of awards within any five-year period; and (4) Unsuccessful project applicants require additional feedback. These applicants should be viewed as a resource that with some coaching will become proponents of successful projects. (Contains 12 tables and 27 footnotes.)
Summative Evaluation of the Office of Learning Technologies. Final Report
Author: Human Resources Development Canada
Date: 2002-12-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Evidence,Summative Evaluation,Formative Evaluation,Program Administration,Program Effectiveness,Foreign Countries,Research Reports,Organizational Objectives,Program Descriptions,Relevance (Education),Delivery Systems,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Partnerships in Education,Stakeholders,Interviews,Statistical Surveys,Case Studies,Participant Satisfaction,Audits (Verification),Educational Innovation,Rural Population,Canada Natives

The Office of Learning Technologies (OLT) was launched by Human Resources Canada (HRDC) in 1996 as part of an education and training strategy for adult learners. It was established with an annual budget of $6 million. As a contributions program, the OLT encourages and supports initiatives of various public and private sector partners to expand opportunities for innovative learning through learning technologies. This report presents the results of a summative evaluation of the OLT. Previously, a formative evaluation had been conducted to review the design and implementation of the OLT and to provide information on the program's progress towards achieving its objectives. The purpose of the summative evaluation is to assess whether there is evidence that the objectives of the OLT have been met through projects funded by the program. This report on the summative evaluation of the OLT is presented in the following sections: Chapter 2 presents an overview of the OLT program; Chapter 3 highlights the evaluation methodology; Chapter 4 examines the relevance of OLT objectives; Chapter 5 examines program administration and delivery--including the issues of incrementality and overlap and duplication; Chapter 6 examines the OLT's contribution to the long-term development and/or adaptation of learning technologies; Chapter 7 examines the OLT's contribution to partnership development; Chapter 8 looks at the end-users of the program; and Chapter 9 examines the available evidence on program impacts relating to project sustainability, and the impact of the program on project sponsors and partners, end-users, and the community; and Chapter 10 summarizes the findings of the evaluation and provides conclusions. Appendices include: (1) Evaluation Matrix; and (2) Summary of Case Studies. A bibliography is included. (Contains 18 tables, 2 figures and 17 footnotes.)