ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Lessons Learned from Accelerating Opportunity. Lessons Learned Series
Author: Wilson, Randall
Date: 2015-04-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Adult Programs,Adult Learning,Continuation Students,Integrated Curriculum,Adult Basic Education,Job Skills,Career Education,Job Training,Formative Evaluation,Program Effectiveness,Best Practices,Change Strategies,Employment Programs,Developmental Studies Programs,Transitional Programs,College Programs

The Accelerating Opportunity initiative helps our nation's lowest-skilled adults earn college credentials and enter higher-wage jobs faster by combining the Adult Basic Education and career and technical training they need into one integrated curriculum. Based on four years of designing and managing Accelerating Opportunity, Jobs for the Future and its partners have uncovered critical lessons for replicating and scaling this promising initiative for adult learners. These lessons address both specific aspects of the Accelerating Opportunity model, and their successful implementation. Lessons learned include: (1) Team teaching or integrated basic skills and technical instruction, proved to be a challenging yet powerful vehicle for reaching students and promoting their growth, even while CTE instructors were reluctant at first to embrace it; (2) Comprehensive supports to address adult learners' barriers, such as success coaches and mandatory advising, are as central to the model as team teaching; and (3) Support services must be a required component of the model and a primary focus of college implementation activities. Career pathways: Colleges need to offer students more options for pathways in a variety of industries, and extend them to offer more than one credential with labor market value. Most critically, the Accelerating Opportunity model is scalable with modest investments. In three years it has grown from 4 states and 33 community colleges to 7 states implementing 194 integrated pathways in 85 colleges. Many states contributed more than a required 25% match to their programs. But achieving momentum and scale requires effort from the start: putting in place state policies needed, and the authority and capacity to carry them out. The Accelerating Opportunity experience also demonstrates that governance of Adult Basic Education in a state's community college system, by itself, is no guarantee of successful scaling of integrated pathways. More critical is the quality and direction of state leadership, and the presence of programs and initiatives that complement Accelerating Opportunity's mission, both statewide and within the colleges. Finally, setting a high bar for states and colleges, with nonnegotiable program elements--including fidelity to the program model of team teaching, pathways, and supports--brings results, but these expectations must be communicated effectively from the state to the college level.
iNACOL Research Agenda
Author: International Association for K-12 Online Learning
Date: 2013-10-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Agenda Setting,Research Needs,Elementary Secondary Education,Blended Learning,Online Courses,Needs Assessment,Policy Analysis,Quality Assurance,Labor Needs,Competency Based Education,Evaluation Methods,Evidence Based Practice,Access to Education,Design Requirements,Instructional Design,Teaching Methods,Best Practices,Educational Change,Capacity Building,Educational Environment,Student Characteristics

The International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) publishes a research agenda on an ongoing basis to continue its work in field-building, capacity-building and knowledge-building. Based on a 2013 survey of the field to identify research needs, iNACOL developed a research approach, including the following: (1) Build a collaborative research agenda, including: field experts, the iNACOL Research Committee, the iNACOL Research Special Interest Group, leadership experts, and communities of practice; (2) Identify research needs for the field; and (3) Create the final national research agenda report. The purpose of this research agenda is to evaluate broad needs across the field and to prioritize future research needs. Browse this report to explore iNACOL's research agenda and needs across the field. Ten priorities for the 2013-2018 research agenda are presented and describe in this document: (1) Research is needed to identify the most effective learning environments for different groups of students, with different characteristics; (2) Research is needed to understand what designs are most effective when it comes to data systems and technology infrastructure; (3) Continued research is needed into promising practices for preparing all education professionals to support learners in K-12 blended and online learning environments; (4) Research for understanding what change management practices are most effective when implementing breakthrough models in K-12 blended and online learning?; (5) Research is needed to explore the teaching strategies that are most promising in K-12 blended and online learning models; (6) There is a need for research in the area of instructional design when it comes to discovering the promising practices for designing courses for student learning; (7) Research is needed into what course and program design elements are necessary when it comes to providing access and equity to all K-12 learners in blended and online learning environments; (8) Research is needed on the type and frequency of assessments that are most promising for competency-based learning; (9) Research needs to be expanded regarding the human capital needs in K-12 blended and online learning environments; and (10) Research is needed to explore the effect of policy (national, state, and local) on quality assurance in K-12 blended and online learning environments.
Motivation, Engagement, and Student Voice: Toolkit
Author: Toshalis, Eric
Date: 2013-05-00
Type: Guides - Classroom - Teacher
Subjects: Student Motivation,Learner Engagement,Student Empowerment,Student Centered Learning,Middle School Students,High School Students,Faculty Development,Activities,Middle School Teachers,Secondary School Teachers,School Counselors,School Psychologists,School Social Workers,Administrators,Parents,Surveys,Pretests Posttests,Likert Scales,Discussion Groups

This professional development series is designed to accompany and help put into practice the ideas in Eric Toshalis and Michael J. Nakkula's Students at the Center paper, &quot;Motivation, Engagement, and Student Voice,&quot; and their chapter, &quot;Prioritizing Motivation and Engagement,&quot; in &quot;Anytime, Anywhere: Student-Centered Learning for Schools and Teachers&quot;. For many teachers, the issues discussed in those pieces are at the heart of the student experience they are trying to provide. The purpose of the activities and materials in this series is to prepare educators to understand, contextualize, and apply the concepts explained in the research so that student-centered approaches are more frequently used in middle and high school classrooms. The activities are designed to facilitate the development of a mindset that encourages a critical analysis of what participants believe, what they do, and what might need to be changed to fully realize the potential of student-centered teaching. Each activity either concludes with or is dedicated to the development of student-centered practices that are anchored in the research findings detailed in the paper. Some activities are best conducted before participants read the paper or book chapter and some are best done after it has already been read. [For the paper &quot;Motivation, Engagement, and Student Voice, see EJ999430. This toolkit is part of the Students at the Center, A Jobs for the Future Project.]
A K-12 Federal Policy Framework for Competency Education: Building Capacity for Systems Change. CompetencyWorks Issue Brief
Author: Worthen, Maria
Date: 2014-02-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Competency Based Education,Elementary Secondary Education,Educational Policy,Public Policy,Federal Legislation,Educational Legislation,Educational Change,Barriers,Educational Benefits,Program Implementation,Case Studies,Holistic Approach,Accountability,Educational Assessment,Intervention,State Policy,Data

This paper provides federal policymakers and advocates with comprehensive, big-picture ideas for transforming federal policy to support the transition to competency-based learning. It is meant to start a dialogue on these issues, posing important questions to explore as policymakers contemplate a new vision for federal education policy through the next reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). This paper is divided into four chapters; each addresses a different federal policy domain: (1) Accountability; (2) Systems of Assessments; (3) Supports and Interventions; and (4) Data Systems. Each chapter in this paper follows a similar structure, opening with a big idea to help the reader envision its relationship to a new policy framework for competency education. It then frames the issue, enhanced by a sidebar with a more detailed vision of what the issue would look like in a transformed federal system. The core of each chapter includes a list of federal policy barriers and a menu of policy actions to support the transition to competency education. These policy recommendations include immediate actions that stakeholders at the local, state, and federal levels can implement under current law. The chapters conclude with case studies of early adopters who are finding ways to implement competency education in states, districts, and schools thanks to, or often in spite of, federal policy. Each chapter ends with a list of questions for further discussion. As policymakers and stakeholders at all levels of the system collaborate on a plan for scaling this work, they should commit to three important goals: (1) To address the system holistically, not one issue or piece of the system at a time; (2) To embed strategies for continuous improvement into every level of the system, investing in the research, dissemination, and scale of best practices; and (3) To design a system that puts students at the center so every program helps produce graduates who will excel in college, careers, and beyond. Adherence to these goals will ensure that policy and practice work together to build a system that will sustain the workforce for generations to come. Contains a list of recommended readings and resources.
Partners in Innovation: How a High School and College Are Improving Outcomes for Youth in San Diego
Author: Coates, Joy
Date: 2013-11-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Partnerships in Education,College School Cooperation,High Schools,Community Colleges,Acceleration (Education),Low Income Students,Minority Group Students,College Readiness,Dual Enrollment,Program Effectiveness

The early college high school program at San Diego City College is a partnership of the college, San Diego Unified School District, and several state and national organizations. The partnership has successfully implemented a variety of college-readiness and college-connected strategies, including an early college school, to better prepare students for college work without the need for remedial courses. Students served by the partnership are low income, first generation, and come from populations that are underrepresented in higher education. The partnership design, informed by the national Early College High School Initiative, includes early assessment and attention to individual student needs, academic acceleration, extensive student supports, student enrollment in college courses for high school and college credit, summer programs and secondary-postsecondary planning, alignment, and professional development. Results show improved performance on the SAT, standardized tests, and college courses. In addition, high school graduates who participated in the program show high college persistence rates. Implications for other secondary-postsecondary collaborations are discussed, including leadership, constituent buy-in, secondary-postsecondary alignment, planning and collaboration, building the program based on strengths and priorities, key roles, location and facilities, and communication. [This report was produced as part of Jobs for the Future's initiative, Early College Designs.]
iNACOL Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework
Author: Powell, Allison
Date: 2014-10-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Blended Learning,Teacher Competencies,Educational Experience,Teacher Role,Educational Practices,Teaching Methods,Guidelines,Student Centered Learning,Educational Research,Teacher Student Relationship,Modeling (Psychology)

In recent years there has been a dramatic rise in interest and early adoption of blended learning to improve the educational experiences of students. A great amount of work has been done to codify approaches, with tools and resources emphasizing the structural components of new models, such as the configuration of physical learning space, use of time, distribution of staff, and applications of technology. While there is widespread recognition that great in person teaching remains essential within these structures, there has been less exploration of the human factors and effective practices that make them successful. Schools and districts are asking for more support for understanding teachers' new roles and effectively supporting them in transitioning to new models of teaching and learning. To respond to this need, iNACOL and The Learning Accelerator (TLA), two organizations committed to helping educators succeed at adopting and implementing blended learning at scale, assembled a national committee of blended learning practitioners, thought-leaders, and experts to explore one critical question: What are the key characteristics of teachers in successful blended learning environments? Over the last year, this committee worked together to review existing practices and research (including an earlier framework developed by TLA), to develop emerging hypotheses with each other and then field-test them with a broader set of external stakeholders. This process culminated in the development of the work presented here, the &quot;iNACOL Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework.&quot;
Progress and Proficiency: Redesigning Grading for Competency Education. CompetencyWorks Issue Brief
Author: Sturgis, Chris
Date: 2014-01-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Grading,Competency Based Education,Evaluation Methods,Evaluation Research,Educational Change,Testing Programs,Testing Problems,Error of Measurement,Evaluation Criteria,Accountability,Academic Achievement,Academic Standards,Feedback (Response),Progress Monitoring,Timed Tests,Community Involvement,Classroom Techniques,College Admission,Admission (School),Human Capital,State Policy,Credentials,Change Strategies,High Schools

This paper is part of a series investigating the implementation of competency education. The purpose of the paper is to explore how districts and schools can redesign grading systems to best help students to excel in academics and to gain the skills that are needed to be successful in college, the community, and the workplace. In order to make the discussions most useful, the paper is divided into four sections. &quot;Understanding the Weaknesses of the Traditional Grading System&quot; provides a review of the inherent weaknesses and the implications of A-F grading policies. &quot;Redesigning Grading&quot; looks at six elements essential to grading in competency-based environments. &quot;Lessons from the Field&quot; offers insights from innovators into the lessons learned and ongoing efforts in leading states, districts, and schools. &quot;Going Forward&quot; explores several issues that are likely to emerge, requiring creativity and stakeholder engagement to address. As in all CompetencyWorks briefing papers, there is an exploration of what needs to be in place to address the inequity that challenges the nation's schools and communities.
A Roadmap for Implementation of Blended Learning at the School Level: A Case Study of the iLearnNYC Lab Schools
Author: Darrow, Rob
Date: 2013-10-00
Type: Guides - Non-Classroom
Subjects: Urban Schools,Blended Learning,Elementary Secondary Education,Technology Uses in Education,Educational Technology,Instructional Leadership,Professional Development,Teaching Methods,Models,Laboratory Schools,Online Courses,Program Development,Planning,Course Content,Governance

This roadmap was designed to provide guidance to the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) school administrators in implementing blended learning programs in their own schools. Over the 2012-13 school year, the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) worked with 8 NYCDOE Lab Schools, each with its own blended learning model, to create this roadmap to improve blended learning implementation. This roadmap has the following goals: (1) Provide an overview of current blended learning models; (2) Provide an understanding of iLearnNYC program and its support system; (3) Identify and define 6 elements of a successful blended learning program; (4) Identify essential questions administrators should consider; (5) Share promising practices; (6) Provide case studies; and (7) Share resources: rubrics, timelines, and continuums. The following are appended: (1) Fordham High School for the Arts Profile; (2) Francis Lewis High School Profile; (3) Robert H. Goddard High School of Communication, Arts, and Technology Profile; (4) High School of Economics and Finance (HSEF) Profile; (5) Marta Valle High School Profile; (6) Mott Hall V Profile; (7) Olympus Academy Profile; (8) Seth Low Profile; (9) iLearnNYC: Blended Learning Quality Review Rubric; (10) Continuum from Textbook Enhanced to Online Teaching and Learning; and (11) iLearnNYC Observation Form. [iLearnNYC is an initiative of iZone, which was established by the New York City Department of Education.]
Post-Secondary Pathways of Non-Graduates from B.C. Grade 12. Research Results from the Student Transitions Project
Author: Beatty-Guenter, Patricia
Date: 2013-03-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Postsecondary Education,Enrollment Trends,Dropouts,High School Students,Adult Basic Education,Developmental Programs,College Credits,Noncredit Courses,Grade 12,Institutional Characteristics,Student Characteristics,Gender Differences,Age Differences,Indigenous Populations,Special Needs Students,Academic Degrees,Certification

The Student Transitions Project (STP) has focused its research since 2005 on the achievements of British Columbia (B.C.) grade 12 graduates who enrolled in post-secondary education. Some students who do not graduate from Grade 12 also enroll at post-secondary institutions in a variety of programs, but little has been reported on these non-graduates. To start filling the information gap, this newsletter examines the post-secondary enrollment and completion information that is available from the STP on British Columbia students who did not graduate from a public or private high school in B.C. The newsletter looks at what programs these students take at B.C. colleges, institutes, and universities when they reach post-secondary. Three educational pathways or enrollment patterns are described: (1) Upgrading programs such as Adult Basic Education or Developmental Education; (2) Post-secondary credit and other credential-bearing programs; and (3) Non core and contract (often non-credit) programs. Part 1 of this paper reveals three dominant patterns of post-secondary enrolments taken by the students who appear as non-graduates from B.C. Grade 12. Part 2 examines the credentials earned by such students. The data examined in this paper contributes to a sense that the B.C. post-secondary system does function as envisioned over a generation ago with respect to &quot;second chance&quot; pathways.
Outcomes-Based Funding in Historical and Comparative Context. Lumina Issue Papers
Author: Hearn, James C.
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Outcome Based Education,Comparative Analysis,Educational History,Context Effect,Private Financial Support,Financial Policy,Funding Formulas,Finance Reform,State Policy,Higher Education,Success,Academic Achievement,Educational Practices

With the advent of outcomes-based funding policies, state policymakers are increasingly committed to basing public college and university funding on how institutions perform on valued measures such as program progress and degree completion. This rising emphasis is considered here in the historical context of three earlier state funding approaches: &quot;base-plus&quot; approaches, enrollment-based formula-funding approaches, and early performance-based funding approaches. After detailed reviews of these funding approaches and the newer outcomes-based approach, the four models' respective strengths and weaknesses are reviewed comparatively. This paper then identifies some central conclusions for policymakers in this arena. [This paper was prepared for HCM Strategists, LLC.]
Planning and Designing for K-12 Next Generation Learning
Author: Edwards, Dave
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Elementary Secondary Education,Educational Planning,Instructional Design,Educational Resources,Learning Modules,Social Networks,Educational Technology,Strategic Planning,Goal Orientation,Models,Educational Methods,Finance Reform,Staff Utilization,Appropriate Technology,Educational Facilities,Student Evaluation,Educational Quality,Educational Improvement,Communities of Practice,Professional Development,Ceremonies,Teaching Methods,Common Core State Standards

The changing demands of the 21st century--and the students growing up in it--are generating fundamental challenges to historical assumptions about what education looks like. The challenge today is to provide a deeper level of personalized learning to each and every student so that all can achieve mastery of the Common Core standards and other skills and dispositions. Because the field of next generation learning is still nascent, practitioner-created tools and resources are sparse-and those that do exist are not validated. This toolkit organizes the most helpful resources currently available on pathways for district, charter, and school leaders to use during the first stages of research and deliberation on how to proceed. It will facilitate a better understanding of what questions to ask and how to begin thinking through the next generation learning design. The toolkit will serve as a decision-making guide for conceptualizing, designing, and developing next generation learning in school, districts, or charter management organization. It will streamline the process for planning and engaging other stakeholders to design learning that will effectively and efficiently lead to improved outcomes for students. The graphic charts the key decisions necessary to make throughout the process and provides an outline for the toolkit. [This report is produced in collaboration with Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC). NGLC accelerates educational innovation through applied technology to dramatically improve college readiness and completion in the United States. NGLC is a partnership led by EDUCAUSE and includes the League for Innovation in the Community College, the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL), and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). Funding is provided by the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.]