ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Conceptualizing Open Educational Practices through the Lens of Constructive Alignment
Author: Paskevicius, Michael
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Open Education,Shared Resources and Services,Educational Practices,Alignment (Education),Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Educational Innovation,Resource Units,Teaching Methods,Learning Activities,Evaluation Methods,Constructivism (Learning)

The act of instruction may be conceptualized as consisting of four elements: learning outcomes, learning resources, teaching and learning activities, and assessments and evaluation. For instructors in higher education, the way they manage the relationships between these elements is what could be considered the core of their instructional practice. For each of the elements, this paper seeks to identify open educational practices, their affordances, and evidence of their utility in supporting the work of teachers in shifting from existing teaching and learning practices to more open educational practices. The literature reviewed and model proposed may provide educational developers or proponents of open education a lens with which to discuss open educational practices with faculty specifically related to their teaching and learning design practices. [This paper was presented at the 2017 Open Education Consortium Global Conference, held in Cape Town (South Africa) in March 8th-10th 2017.]
Differentiation in Access to, and the Use and Sharing of (Open) Educational Resources among Students and Lecturers at Kenyan Universities
Author: Pete, Judith
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Shared Resources and Services,College Faculty,College Students,Questionnaires,Urban Schools,Rural Schools,Technological Literacy,Technology Uses in Education,Educational Technology,Rural Urban Differences,Access to Computers,Internet,Instructional Materials,Resource Units,Attitude Measures

In order to obtain a fair &quot;OER picture&quot; for the Global South a large-scale study has been carried out for a series of countries, including Kenya. In this paper we report on the Kenya study, run at four universities that have been selected with randomly sampled students and lecturers. Empirical data have been generated by the use of a student and a lecturer questionnaire to which in total 798 students and 43 lecturers have responded. Selected from the very rich source two major outcomes are: (i) there is a significant digital differentiation among lecturers and students at urban versus rural universities in terms of their proficiency and internet accessibility; and (ii) the awareness and appreciation of the OER concept and open licensing is low but from the actual processing by respondents of educational resources (not necessarily open) a 'preparedness for openness' can be derived that promises well for the future. [This paper was presented at the 2017 Open Education Consortium Global Conference, held in Cape Town (South Africa) in March 8th-10th 2017.]
An OER Framework, Heuristic and Lens: Tools for Understanding Lecturers' Adoption of OER
Author: Cox, Glenda
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Shared Resources and Services,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Foreign Countries,College Faculty,Technology Integration,Teaching Methods,Barriers,Workshops,Access to Computers,Motivation,Readiness,School Culture,Sustainability,Semi Structured Interviews

This paper examines three new tools--a framework, an heuristic and a lens--for analysing lecturers' adoption of OER in higher educational settings. Emerging from research conducted at the universities of Cape Town (UCT), Fort Hare (UFH) and South Africa (UNISA) on why lecturers adopt--or do not adopt--OER, these tools enable greater analytical insights at the institutional and cross-institutional level, and hold the potential for generic global application. The framework--the OER Adoption Pyramid--helps distinguish and compare the factors shaping lecturers' OER adoption which are both immediate (over which they have personal control) and remote (over which they have less or no control). The heuristic--the OER Readiness Tables--derives from the Pyramid and provides a visual representation of the institutions' obstacles and opportunities for OER engagement. The lens--of &quot;institutional culture&quot;--nuances these comparisons so that the analysis remains attentive to granular, idiosyncratic variables shaping OER decisions. We believe this research will have value for scholars interested in researching OER adoption, and institutions interested in promoting it. [This paper was presented at the 2017 Open Education Consortium Global Conference, held in Cape Town (South Africa) in March 8th-10th 2017.]
Predicting Faculty Intentions to Assign Writing in Their Classes
Author: Trafimow, David
Date: 2017-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Writing Assignments,Intention,Teacher Attitudes,Prediction,Correlation,Regression (Statistics),Beliefs,Statistical Analysis,Behavior Theories,Hypothesis Testing,Online Surveys,Questionnaires,College Faculty

Teachers who offer undergraduate courses agree widely on the importance of writing assignments to further undergraduate education. And yet, there is a great deal of variance among teachers in their writing assignments; some teachers assign no writing whatsoever. To determine the variables that influence the decisions of teachers about whether to assign writing, we predicted their intentions to assign writing from attitudes, subjective norms, perceived control, and perceived difficulty pertaining to assigning writing. Zero-order correlations and hierarchical regression analyses implicate attitude and perceived difficulty as the most important predictors of teacher's intentions to assign writing in two studies. We also obtained open-ended belief statements in Study 1 and used them to obtain quantitative belief data in Study 2 to find and validate the importance of the impact of particular specific beliefs on intentions to assign writing.
Postgraduate Students as OER Capacitators
Author: King, Thomas William
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Graduate Students,Shared Resources and Services,Resource Units,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Foreign Countries,Intellectual Property,Sustainability,Student Participation,Copyrights,Interviews

A comprehensive theoretical, legal and practical basis for OER has been developed over the past fifteen years, supported by the expansion of open source curation platforms and the work of advocacy groups and international bodies. OER's potential has been sufficiently documented; the question remains how best to support, integrate and normalise OER activity within the academic community in a sustainable fashion. This paper draws on the experiences of the Vice Chancellor's Open Educational Resources Adaptation project in the University of Cape Town, which explored whether postgraduate students, with their blend of developing subject knowledge, greater time resources, and experience of teaching artefacts from both a learner's and educator's perspective, may be a valuable resource for lecturers or institutions eager to engage in OER but lacking the requisite support structures. It was found that postgraduates were best employed as capacitating agents, focusing on the non-pedagogical elements of OER adaptation. [This paper was presented at the 2017 Open Education Consortium Global Conference, held in Cape Town (South Africa) in March 8th-10th 2017.]
The Challenges of Incorporating ePortfolio into an Undergraduate Nursing Programme
Author: Haggerty, Carmel
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Undergraduate Study,Nursing Education,Portfolio Assessment,Portfolios (Background Materials),Student Evaluation,Evaluation Methods,Electronic Publishing,Student Attitudes,Foreign Countries

Registered nurses today are required to maintain a portfolio of evidence of their competence to practice. This evidence collection commences at undergraduate level with nursing programmes requiring portfolio's as assessments, which are often submitted in hard copy. This paper describes the outcome when a small group of tutorial staff introduced ePortfolio's into an undergraduate nursing degree. Evaluation of the effectiveness was collected through reflective conversations, which focused on issues that arise when implementing this change to a curriculum, along with improving understanding of ePortfolios and their use in practice. Routine student evaluations and the lessons learnt from tutorial staff reflections were used to inform the planning for wider implementation of ePortfolio's.
Not-so-Critical Friends: Graduate Student Instructors and Peer Feedback
Author: Reinholz, Daniel L.
Date: 2017-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Graduate Students,Student Teachers,Peer Evaluation,Feedback (Response),STEM Education,Communities of Practice,Mathematics Teachers,Professional Development,Reflective Teaching,Introductory Courses,Observation,Interviews

Graduate student instructors (henceforth, instructors) play a crucial role in teaching early STEM courses. Thus, professional development for these instructors addresses an urgent need to improve STEM student success. This paper focuses on a semester-long professional learning community in which six mathematics graduate student instructors engaged in regular cycles of peer observation, feedback, and reflection. In contrast to other professional development work, this approach emphasized that instructors give, not just receive, peer feedback. Analyses of post-semester interviews indicated that all instructors enhanced their noticing of students. The interviews also highlighted the challenges of providing critical, supportive feedback.
Digital Learning in Higher Education: A Training Course for Teaching Online--Universidade Aberta, Portugal
Author: Moreira, José António
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Higher Education,Online Courses,Distance Education,Teacher Education Programs,Teacher Competencies,Communities of Practice,Technological Literacy,College Faculty,Inservice Teacher Education,Electronic Publishing,Portfolios (Background Materials),Integrated Learning Systems

This paper uses qualitative evidence to describe, explore and discuss the progress of the online teaching training course taught at the Universidade Aberta to Portuguese and foreign professors of higher education institutions. As this is an entirely online course, its pedagogical design results from the combination of the basics of open distance education and network education using the Moodle 2.0 platform and other digital environments. The results point, on one hand, to a dynamic pedagogical design that addresses the need for continuous improvement, and, on the other hand, to the changes in the role of professors in virtual teaching and learning environments, and to the different and specific pedagogical strategies in need of adjustment. They also point to the strong presence of technological and pedagogical elements of innovation.
Pragmatism vs. Idealism and the Identity Crisis of OER Advocacy
Author: Jhangiani, Rajiv Sunil
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Pragmatics,Advocacy,Open Education,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Shared Resources and Services,Psychology,Sociology

The open education (OE) movement is in its adolescent years and experiencing an identity crisis as it is pulled towards both pragmatism (marked by an emphasis on cost savings, resources, and incremental change) and idealism (marked by an emphasis on permissions, practices, and radical change). In this article, I describe these tensions (free vs. freedom; evolution vs. revolution; and resources vs. practices) before going on to argue in favour of a nuanced resolution to this Eriksonian crisis that reflects the diverse needs and motivations of educators. The merits of an integrated approach and its implications for the future trajectory of the OE movement are discussed. [This paper was presented at the 2017 Open Education Consortium Global Conference, held in Cape Town (South Africa) in March 8th-10th 2017.]
Developing Civic Engagement in Distance Higher Education: A Case Study of Virtual Service-Learning (vSL) Programme in Spain
Author: García-Gutierrez, Juan
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Citizen Participation,Distance Education,Service Learning,Case Studies,Foreign Countries,Higher Education,Global Approach,Virtual Classrooms,Electronic Learning,Intercultural Communication,Spanish

Higher Education is demanding the need of a greater connection between its academic offer and the necessary civic engagement of the graduates. This has given Spain the opportunity, for just over a decade, to develop the methodology of service-learning, which combines both the theoretical and practical aspect of university learning with the practical development of solidarity and civic commitment of the students. At the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED, Spain) we have designed an online service-learning proposal, based on the virtual exchange which occurs between the students from the UNED and the University of PortoNovo (Benin), requiring practical classes of Spanish. The result favours continuing with this virtual servicelearning project aimed at the exchange with other universities; strengthening the planning of the training proposal for the development of ethical competence and civic engagement; the design of solidarity service action that enhances global citizenship and intercultural dialogue, consolidates digital competence, etc., all in a virtual educational environment.
Using a Teaching Philosophy Statement as a Professional Development Tool for Teacher Candidates
Author: Caukin, Nancy G.
Date: 2017-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Faculty Development,Preservice Teacher Education,Educational Philosophy,Teacher Education Programs,Undergraduate Students,Field Experience Programs,Residential Programs,Communities of Practice,Problem Based Learning,Surveys

Most new teachers are expected to develop a teaching philosophy statement (TPS). In the present paper, we describe some of the major functions of a TPS and how it can be beneficial to the professional development of teacher candidates. We then describe a case example of a Residency I program and how the features of that program help teacher candidates write an effective TPS. Seventy-three senior-level teacher candidates at a large public, comprehensive southeastern U.S. university participated in the study. At the end of their Residency I semester, they completed a survey in which they rated the importance and influence of the different program components on their TPS. It was determined that most of the curricular aspects promoted deep thinking and reflection on beliefs about teaching. Features that had the greatest impact on teacher candidates' teaching philosophy are discussed as well as implications for the findings.
&quot;The Best Part Was the Contact!&quot;: Understanding Postgraduate Students' Experiences of Wrapped MOOCs
Author: Jaffer, Tasneem
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Graduate Students,Student Experience,Academic Support Services,Large Group Instruction,Online Courses,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Interviews,Surveys,Course Evaluation,Interpersonal Relationship,Interaction,Interpersonal Communication,Interdisciplinary Approach

Mandated to provide support to postgraduate students, the Office of Postgraduate Studies at the University of Cape Town operates in a context characterised by limited funding and resourcing, varied student preparedness for postgraduate study, and increasing student mobility. Extra-curricular academic and professional skills support is offered through a range of modes, including the wrapping of MOOCs. This research explored the contribution of face-to-face, facilitated sessions to the learning experiences of wrapped MOOC participants. Interviews, surveys and course evaluations were analysed using the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework. Although the CoI framework surfaced complex relationships between the three presences and students' learning experiences, with students expressing strong appreciation for the face-to-face contact in addition to online learning, the framework does not surface the substantial impact of learner and structural factors as contributors to learning. [This paper was presented at the 2017 Open Education Consortium Global Conference, held in Cape Town (South Africa) in March 8th-10th 2017.]
The Power of Secret Stories: Constructing Mental Patterns during the Reading-Writing Process
Author: Krisell, Meredith
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Writing Processes,Reading Processes,Cognitive Processes,Grammar,English Instruction,Cognitive Psychology,Brain,Visual Perception,Imagery,Emergent Literacy,Early Childhood Education,Educational Practices,Teaching Methods

The brain is a complex organ with an intellectual capacity that is unique to humans. For educators, it is wise to study the brain's many attributes and how it functions to help guide, inform, and improve teaching practice. Learners' brains are particularly sensitive to certain kinds of stimuli--that is social, physical, cognitive, and emotional stimuli. Brain development and cognition is further enhanced with continuous exposure to high quality learning activities and methods, particularly those that help children use mental patterns to make sense of their learning. Children's young brains take in information in a totally different way than adult brains. Secret Stories, a new, innovative way to teach children the grammar rules of English in a way that is tailored to their growing minds, is presented in this article.
Teachers' Perception on the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in the Regular Education Classroom in Ecuador
Author: Moreno-Rodríguez, Ricardo
Date: 2017-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Inclusion,Disabilities,Regular and Special Education Relationship,Economic Climate,Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Education,Barriers,Teacher Characteristics,Teacher Competencies,Student Needs,Questionnaires,Graduate Study,Teacher Surveys,Graduate Students

Nowadays, contradictory viewpoints are showed when defining disability. On the one hand, there are theoretical frameworks focused on the personal limitations, while, on the other hand, each time it is more extended those ones which highlight the restrictions on the social fabric. It becomes essential to integrate both frameworks considering disability as a social phenomenon besides the collective responsibility that demands further action by society as a whole. Currently, Ecuador is suffering an economic recession due to the drop in the price of oil and the appreciation of the dollar, together with the catastrophic effects of the earthquake recorded in 2016. Before 2014, Ecuador was experiencing economic growth resulting in major investment in social areas such as education, thus promoting educational and labour market inclusion of people with disabilities. This study shows the perspective of teachers in Ecuador towards students with disabilities before the development of a program of postgraduate studies for specializing them to cater for the special educational needs. Moreover, the aim is to assess abilities and barriers that teachers have to face up with regard to inclusion of disability in the regular classroom. The majority of teachers in Ecuador are unanimous in stating that academic career training on the issue of education inclusion and accessibility will entail a maximum support carrying out their teaching assignments as well as materials adapted to suit the students' needs. Furthermore, a wide range of teachers were aware of the case of students with disabilities in the classroom. Besides, among the main problems, architectural barriers and the lack of inclusion were the most important for the participants. Taking all of this into consideration, it is perceived that teachers from Ecuador are not fully prepared for having students with disabilities. That is why a deeper training in special educational needs should be necessary.
What Is the Cause of Graduates' Unemployment? Focus on Individual Concerns and Perspectives
Author: Hwang, Youngsik
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Unemployment,Employment Level,College Graduates,Economic Factors,Labor Market,Educational Attainment,Education Work Relationship,Supply and Demand,Job Skills

The graduate unemployment rate is one of the current issues being discussed by higher education scholars. College students spend their time and money in order to receive educational advantages unavailable to high school graduates. So if they face unemployment, they are more vulnerable to unfavorable economic conditions because they have already spent their resources pursuing higher education. This paper examines the reasons why college graduates are facing unemployment in the competitive market. There are several factors that explain their unemployment status, and this paper identifies each component at an individual level. With specific analysis of the unemployment phenomena, this paper provides direction for further research.
Metaphoric Perceptions of the Students of the Sports Sciences Faculty Regarding the Concept of Fair-Play
Author: Çaglayan, Hakan Salim
Date: 2017-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Sportsmanship,Sport Psychology,Foreign Countries,College Students,Figurative Language,Content Analysis,Phenomenology,Student Attitudes,Classification,Statistical Analysis,Ethics

The objective of this study is to reveal the perceptions of the students of the sports sciences faculty regarding the concept of &quot;Fair-Play&quot; by means of metaphors. 275 students [male[subscript (n = 173)], female [subscript (n = 102)]] studying at the Sports Sciences Faculty of Seljuk University in the fall semester of the 2016-2017 educational year took part in the study voluntarily. The data of the study were obtained by making the students complete the sentence of &quot;Fair-Play is like………….. because………..&quot; Every student was expected to create a metaphor regarding the concept of Fair-Play in that way. In this study, the research design of phenomenology was used and the analysis of the data was conducted by using the content analysis method. The perceptions of the students of the Sports Sciences Faculty for the concept of &quot;Fair-Play&quot; were scrutinized by way of the metaphor analysis method. In this scope, the process of analysis and construal of the metaphors developed by the students took place in five stages as (1) determination of the metaphors, (2) classification of the metaphors, (3) category development, (4) ensuring validity and reliability, and (5) transfer of the data to the SPSS package program for quantitative data analysis. According to the findings of the study, the students created totally 119 valid metaphors regarding the concept of &quot;Fair-Play.&quot; The metaphors were analyzed in terms of their common traits and brought together under seven conceptual categories. At the end of the study, it was determined that students have perceived Fair Play as the &quot;Expression of Wisdom&quot; by 27%; as the &quot;Expression of Nature&quot; by 25%; &quot;as a Guide&quot; by 19%; as the &quot;Expression of Humanly Qualifications&quot; by 13%; as the &quot;Expression of Cleanness&quot; by 8%; as the &quot;Expression of Contradiction&quot; by 5%; and as &quot;Important Persons&quot; by 3%.