ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Creating ESP-Based Language Learning Environment to Foster Critical Thinking Capabilities in Students&apos; Papers
Author: Karapetian, Alina O.
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Blended Learning,Teaching Methods,English for Special Purposes,Business English,Thinking Skills,Economics Education,Foreign Countries,Student Attitudes,Multimedia Materials,Textbooks,Critical Thinking,Academic Achievement,Needs Assessment,Student Placement,Problem Solving,Cognitive Style,College Students,Professionalism,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction

The purpose of this research is to experimentally evaluate how the &quot;flipped classroom&quot; model used to deliver Business English, which is commonly an integral part to the ESP course at tertiary schools of Economics in Ukraine, to the students majoring in Economics fosters students' critical thinking skills and improved their academic performances and what students' perceptions of this model are. The learning environment used a multimedia-based textbook entitled &quot;Business skills through English&quot;. This was experimental research which used a mixed-methods approach. Students' critical thinking skills and academic performance (learning outcomes) were the variables for this study. Placement tests, needs analysis questionnaires, Course Satisfaction Questionnaire, a test to assess the students' critical thinking skills were used to collect the statistical data. Cronbach Alpha coefficient was applied to interpret the test on critical thinking data and SPSS AMOS statistical package programme was used to analyse the consolidated data. The study found that the &quot;flipped classroom&quot; model used to deliver ESP and Business English to the students majoring in Economics has the potential to provide a better learning experience for the students and teaching experience for the teachers. This model fosters students' critical thinking skills by involving them in problem-solving-based learning and improves their academic performances by increasing their responsibility for learning results and stimulating them to use different learning styles. Overall, the above model substitutes a teacher-centered with a student-centered approach that engages learners in the true-to-life business world and language environment. In this way, learning Business English and ESP at higher educational institutions in Ukraine is a move from just training memory (memorizing professionalism-related English vocabulary and doing grammar drills) to applying language as a learning medium in the specifically designed vocational contexts.
Development and Initial Validation of a Questionnaire to Improve Preparation of Pre-Service Teachers for Contemporary Inclusive Teaching
Author: Walker, Nolene
Date: 2019-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Questionnaires,Preservice Teacher Education,Preservice Teachers,Inclusion,Beginning Teachers,Experienced Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Competencies,Psychometrics,Graduate Students,Elementary Education,Student Diversity,Construct Validity

This paper describes the development and initial validation of a questionnaire designed to inform curriculum and pedagogy to better prepare pre-service teachers for contemporary inclusive teaching. Pre-service, beginning and experienced teachers' views about enhancing the preparation of pre-service teachers during initial teacher training for inclusive teaching were explored in the areas of attitudes, knowledge and skills. The rationale and process underlying the development of the questionnaire are presented. Results of exploratory factor analysis support the questionnaire's construct validity. Results using Cronbach's alpha coefficients showed good to very good internal consistency (alpha's ranging from 0.79 to 0.91). Findings arising from the questionnaire provided valuable evidence regarding curriculum and pedagogy to enhance the preparation of pre-service teachers for inclusive teaching. The methods employed in developing the questionnaire are transferable across a range of research settings and disciplines.
Didactic Modes of Scientific Experiments in Moroccan High Schools: Photosynthesis as an Example
Author: Bouzit, Sophia
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Science Experiments,Secondary School Science,Science Instruction,Textbooks,High Schools

This exploratory study aims to verify whether the current use of scientific experiments in the Moroccan high-school science curriculum meets students' needs for experimental scientific learning. For that purpose, a sample chapter of the official science textbook was analysed in detail. The analysis was carried out using a didactic model of the French didactician Coquide, which categorizes teaching objectives into three modes: practical familiarisation, empirical investigation and conceptual construction. Analysis grids were built based on a selection of the three didactical modes' attributes. These grids were used to identify the presence and the weight of these three didactical modes within the chosen sample chapter. Results reveal that experiments in the high-school scientific curriculum are not presented in a balanced way and rarely implemented according to a didactic logic. The study also shows that the experiments analysed are essentially focused on the conceptual construction mode while neglecting practical familiarisation and empirical investigation.
As of Academic Factors Underlying First Grade Retention in Primary Schools of North Khorasan
Author: Amani, Malahat
Date: 2020-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Students,Grade 1,Young Children,Grade Repetition,Low Achievement,High Achievement,Elementary School Teachers,Teacher Student Relationship,Rating Scales,Parent Participation,Foreign Countries,Parent School Relationship,Preschool Education,Teacher Attitudes,Teaching Methods,Predictor Variables

The first grade is the cornerstone of the student's education in school. Achievements at this grade wield huge influence on a child's interest and development of a positive attitude towards education and learning environment. The purpose of this study is to investigate the academic factors of first grade retention in primary schools in North Khorasan. In the first study, a causal-comparative method and in the second study, a qualitative method are adopted. The statistical population includes all first-grade students, their teachers, and parents in North Khorasan province. The first study' sample consists of 351 students who were divided into three groups of grade retention, weak academic achievement, and strong academic achievement. The second study consisted of 30 first-grade teachers. Data collection tools included Parental Involvement in the Child's Education Scale, Student-Teacher Relationship Scale, Researcher-Made Questionnaire, and semi-structured interview. The results showed that the parents of students with grade retention and poor academic achievement had limited participation in school activities. Teachers also had more conflicting relationships with weak students that were retained. According to the results of the qualitative method, three components of attitude, cognition, and behaviour in the teaching process served as qualitative subcomponents of difference between teachers of retained students and teachers whose students were not retained. The results have many implications for the prevention and reduction of grade retention, especially in the first grade.
Astronomy Education for Preschool Children: Exploring the Sky
Author: Timur, Serkan
Date: 2020-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Astronomy,Science Instruction,Science Activities,Preschool Education,Student Attitudes,Teaching Methods,Instructional Effectiveness,Scientific Concepts,Concept Formation

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of astronomy activities in science education with preschool children through semi-structured interviews. The interviews were conducted with the children before and after the implementation of the activities. Five activities about astronomy were conducted for five weeks in practice. A total of 15 preschool children (seven boys and eight girls) in the age range from 60 to 72 months participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews were individually conducted, digitally recorded, transcribed, and analyzed by the researchers of the study. The related data were collected by semi-structured interviews prepared by the researchers of the study. It was revealed that the preschool children were curious about the &quot;Discovery of the Sky&quot; subject. They were interested and enthusiastic to learn the subject matter, and they were positively affected by the practices. It has been concluded that new concepts related to the subject of &quot;Discovery of the Sky&quot; have developed by using different methods and techniques.
Creating a Community of Caring within a School
Author: Keown, Stacey
Date: 2020-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Caring,School Culture,Stress Variables,Trauma,School Readiness,Educational Strategies,Educational Environment,Peer Relationship,Teacher Student Relationship,Therapy,Classroom Techniques,Elementary School Students,Behavior Problems

Students often arrive at school not ready to learn due to stress and trauma. In order to thrive in school, students need to know that within the school is an intentional, multi-layered system of caring. This manuscript details strategies at the individual, classroom, and school level. Having targeted strategies to assist students is essential in creating a caring community within the school context.
The Effectiveness of Online Counseling for University Students in Turkey: A Non-Randomized Controlled Trial
Author: Zeren, Serife Gonca
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Counseling Effectiveness,Computer Mediated Communication,Counselor Client Relationship,Synchronous Communication,Symptoms (Individual Disorders),Student Welfare,Mental Health,Life Satisfaction,Psychological Patterns,Internet,Undergraduate Students,Public Colleges,Positive Attitudes,Negative Attitudes,Counseling Techniques

Online counseling is a mental health intervention between the counselee and the counselor using digital technologies computers or smartphones. A growing number of counselors have been providing counseling via the Internet. However, there are mixed findings regarding the effectiveness of online counseling when compared traditional face-to-face counseling and other modalities. Thus, the main purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of online individual counseling compared to faceto-face counseling, and a control group regarding subjective well-being. To that end, a total of 60 college students were assigned to one of the three groups (21 online, 24 face-to-face, and 15 control). The instruments of the study were the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and the Brief Symptom Inventory. In order to examine the effectiveness of online counseling comparing to face-to-face counseling and control group, Mixed design (split-plot) ANOVA was employed. The findings of mixed ANOVA revealed that there was no significant interaction effect for the subjective well-being of the participants in different groups indicating that the three groups did not differ regarding subjective well-being scores measured over three times (pre-test, post-test, and follow-up). Nevertheless, the main effect for the group was significant indicating that the scores of the participants in the face-to-face counseling group regarding positive and negative affect changed significantly. Findings and implications were discussed regarding the relevant literature and some suggestions were offered.
Peaceful and Happy Schools: How to Build Positive Learning Environments
Author: Calp, Sükran
Date: 2020-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Environment,Elementary Schools,Elementary School Teachers,Elementary School Students,Public Schools,Foreign Countries,Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Definitions,Well Being,Interpersonal Relationship,Trust (Psychology),Physical Environment,Safety

It is very important for students and teachers to have a positive learning environment. The school that is an institution for educating children should be a peaceful and happy environment. There are principles such as love, respect, honesty, courage, empathy and kindness in the peaceful and happy schools. This study examined the concept of a &quot;peaceful and happy school&quot; and aimed to describe a peaceful and happy school from the point of view of primary school teachers and primary school students. It was designed with a case-study research model. A peaceful and happy school climate is the &quot;case&quot; of this study. The participants of the study consisted of 126 persons, 103 primary school students, and 23 primary school teachers from public schools in Turkey. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews from primary school students and teachers. Semi-structured interview form was used for both groups. At the end of the study, primary school teachers' and students' definitions of a peaceful and happy school were presented. It was understood from the findings that primary school students and teachers want to improve the same basic issues related to a peaceful and happy school.
Multiple Intelligences-Based Creative Curriculum: The Best Practice
Author: Setiawan, Risky
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Kindergarten,Multiple Intelligences,Preschool Teachers,Creativity,Teaching Methods,Preschool Children,Foreign Countries,Curriculum Development,Group Discussion,Definitions,Research and Development,Academic Achievement,Instructional Effectiveness,Teacher Evaluation,Teacher Effectiveness

The purpose of this research is: 1) to develop the model and produce the assessment of creative curriculum-based learning program multiple intelligences (MI), 2) to know the characteristics and impacts of developed product models. Research using multi-years by method R &amp; D (Research and Development) with two phases; First phase: 1) Preliminary survey stage, 2) definition stage, 3) design phase, 4) trial stage, and 5) development stage; The second phase: 1) the instrument design stage through the Forum Group Discussion, 2) the product trial phase of 100 children in Sleman Regency, 3) wide-scale implementation of 200 children in Yogyakarta Province, 4) the evaluation phase with construct analysis and achievement of research subjects' performance, 5 ) the stage of measuring the effectiveness of the product with user perception. The subject comprises 200 children of early childhood and 20 kindergarten teachers in 10 kindergartens in the Yogyakarta province in Indonesia, by the approach of Reflective Measurement Theory (RMT). The results showed that: 1) the MI-based creative curriculum assessment model was developed to meet valid, reliable and conformity criteria of an empirical data model, 2) The implementation of the assessment model had fulfilled the requirements worthy of using three criteria aspect; 1) The results of the assessment using creative instruments based on multiple intelligences on children get &quot;very good&quot; results, 2) the readiness of the teacher in learning is included in the &quot;good&quot; category; 3) teacher performance appraisal shows the &quot;very good&quot; category, and 4) the benefits of the products developed are in the &quot;very good&quot; category. It was concluded that the developed product had tested empirically and practically so that it was useful in learning in early childhood.
Summative Assessment, Test Scores and Text Quality: A Study of Cohesion as an Unspecified Descriptor in the Assessment Scale
Author: Ahmad, Zulfiqar
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Summative Evaluation,Writing Evaluation,Evaluation Criteria,Connected Discourse,Academic Language,Scores,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Undergraduate Students,Foreign Countries,Writing Tests

Summative assessment of students' writing predicts not only the extent to which the course learning objectives have been achieved but also reveals the relevance of the assessment design with the construct of writing being assessed. Any dichotomy between the assessment criteria and the construct of writing or between the assessment criteria and test scoring procedures can produce unreliable and invalid interpretations of the students' writing proficiency. Assuming cohesion as a measure of writing quality, the present study chose samples of academic writing which did not specify cohesion as a descriptor in the assessment scale. A cohesion index was, therefore, developed to investigate how cohesive devices created texture in the sample texts and correlated with the test scores. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric correlation analysis revealed that cohesive devices were positively associated with appropriate use to create texture; however, they only weakly correlated with the test scores. The findings imply that there is the need for developing assessment criteria which consistently measures the text-forming resources to reliably ascertain the writing proficiency of the students. The study recommends a research initiative based on an analytical assessment criteria to ensure a more accurate analysis of the role of cohesion in text-formation and writing quality.
The Effects of Nursery Rhymes on Improving Reading Fluency of Fourth-Grade Primary School Students
Author: Teksan, Keziban
Date: 2020-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Nursery Rhymes,Elementary School Students,Teaching Methods,Grade 4,Reading Fluency,Suprasegmentals,Intonation,Error Analysis (Language),Comparative Analysis,Folk Culture,Turkish,Foreign Countries,Reading Rate,Oral Reading,Measures (Individuals),Reading Skills

This study aimed to determine the effects of nursery rhymes, entertaining and prominent products of Turkish folk literature, on improving reading fluency of fourth-grade primary school students. The sample consisted of 44 fourth graders, attending a public primary school in Vakfikebir County of Trabzon province (Turkey) in the 2015-2016 academic year. The sample was grouped into two, namely an experiment and a control group and the students were randomly assigned to the groups. The texts selected for the purpose of the study, were firstly read by the students and they were voice-recorded as they read out before the study was carried out. Their reading rates were measured relying on the recordings by counting the number of words they read per minute, while their reading levels were determined with Error Analysis Inventory and the prosodic features were measured using the Prosodic Reading Scale. Then, the activities involving nursery rhymes were administered to the experimental group for 15 weeks, who were offered two activities per week, while the students in the control group continued their regular education. After the administrations, the measurements were repeated asking the students to read the same texts. The reading rate scores, the accurate reading scores and the data obtained from the Prosodic Reading Scale were analyzed with SPSS, a statistical software program by performing paired samples t-test and independent groups t-test. The results showed that the reading rates and the accurate reading skills of the students in the experimental group improved. The implications of the findings are discussed and suggestions are made at the end.
Using Social Media for Learning in High Schools: A Systematic Literature Review
Author: Otchie, Wilson O.
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Social Media,Electronic Learning,High School Students,Literature Reviews,Computer Assisted Instruction,Teaching Methods,Computer Mediated Communication,Cooperative Learning,Information Dissemination,Interpersonal Competence

In the last decade, learning from computer-supported collaborative technologies has been combined with social media (SM) and this has gotten a lot of attention. Also, there is a growing body of literature that suggests that SM is gaining a lot of attention because it has the perceived pedagogical affordances that could be used as a potential tool for teaching and learning. These perceived pedagogical affordances allow people to interact, communicate, collaborate and share resources among others. Most of the studies published on SM in education have focused on higher education (colleges and universities) with a relatively small body of literature on secondary education. Despite the wide use of SM in education, its benefits are still not clear across studies. We conducted a systematic literature review using the EBSCOhost database. Screening of abstracts and full texts resulted in the selection of 10 papers for the review. Seven approaches to using SM in learning in high schools have been identified: (1) interaction, (2) information dissemination, (3) communication, (4) collaboration, (5) teaching, learning, and resource sharing, (6) socialization, and (7) entertainment. Most of the articles claimed that the educational use of SM has a strong positive effect on social skills, but the evidence presented was rather weak. Subject-specific outcomes were not in focus in using SM in education. All studies followed a constructivist philosophical perspective. Based on this we provide a theory-based scenario for using SM in learning social skills and subject-specific outcomes.
Highlighting E-Learning Adoption Challenges Using Data Analysis Techniques: University of Kufa as a Case Study
Author: Karkar, Ammar J. M.
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Technology Integration,Developing Nations,Foreign Countries,Usability,Integrated Learning Systems,College Faculty,Social Media,Teacher Attitudes

Electronic learning (e-learning) plays a significant role in improving the efficiency of the education process. However, in many cases in developing countries, technology transfer without consideration of technology acceptance factors has limited the impact of e-learning and the expected outcome of the education process. Therefore, this shift in learning method has been met with low enthusiasm from academic staff and students owing to its low perceived usefulness and perceived ease-of-use. The University of Kufa (UoK) in Iraq is considered a good case study because it has implemented the e-learning platform since 2013. The UoK platform is based on open-source Moodle owing to the latter's advantages, such as low implementation cost, open community for support and continuous update and development. To identify and evaluate the challenges, this study uses a questionnaire survey that targets the level of adoption, implementation, familiarity and technology acceptance of staff and students. A total of 242 educators participate in the survey, and the data are subsequently analysed. Important information is extracted using data mining techniques, namely clustering and decision trees. One of the main crucial factors extracted from the analysis results is the perception that social media is easier to use compared with a dedicated e-learning platform such as Moodle. This factor may also discourage educators/learners from adopting an offered e-learning platform, regardless of actual usefulness, motivation and training programs. Therefore, this paper offers practical information regarding the main issues and a guideline to fully utilise e-learning for policy makers and e-learning developers, particularly in newly established institutions or developing countries.