ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
A Peer-Led Approach to Promoting Health Education in Schools: The Views of Peers
Author: Frantz, J. M.
Date: 2015-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Health Promotion,Peer Teaching,Teaching Methods,Student Attitudes,Interviews,Experience,Intervention,Reflection,Student Role,Mixed Methods Research,Foreign Countries,Grade 8,Pretests Posttests,Program Effectiveness,Student Development

Peer-led health promotion strategies in schools have been found to be effective in promoting healthy behaviours amongst youth. This study aimed to evaluate the views of the peer educators in implementing a health education programme using a qualitative approach. Informal discussions and eight in-depth interviews were used to explore the views of the 10 peer educators. Information from the interviews was transcribed verbatim, analysed, and coded thematically. The themes that emerged from the analysis of the informal discussion and in-depth interviews were grouped into categories, which included peer educators' experience of implementing the intervention, personal growth and experience with interacting with young people, and personal reflection on the presentation of the intervention. The role of peer educators was shown to be crucial to the success of peer-led programmes, but it is clear that equipping and supporting them through the process of implementation is essential.
Input or Intimacy
Author: Navracsics, Judit
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Linguistic Input,Linguistic Theory,Second Language Learning,Developmental Stages,Age Differences,Brain,Phonetics,Pronunciation,Native Speakers,Language Proficiency,Puberty,Transfer of Training,Multilingualism,Language Dominance,English (Second Language),Siblings,Indo European Languages,Hungarian,Preschool Children,Language Research,Language Usage,English,Family Environment,Parent Child Relationship,Foreign Countries,Statistical Analysis,Code Switching (Language)

According to the critical period hypothesis, the earlier the acquisition of a second language starts, the better. Owing to the plasticity of the brain, up until a certain age a second language can be acquired successfully according to this view. Early second language learners are commonly said to have an advantage over later ones especially in phonetic/phonological acquisition. Native-like pronunciation is said to be most likely to be achieved by young learners. However, there is evidence of accent-free speech in second languages learnt after puberty as well. Occasionally, on the other hand, a nonnative accent may appear even in early second (or third) language acquisition. Cross-linguistic influences are natural in multilingual development, and we would expect the dominant language to have an impact on the weaker one(s). The dominant language is usually the one that provides the largest amount of input for the child. But is it always the amount that counts? Perhaps sometimes other factors, such as emotions, come into play? In this paper, data obtained from an English-Persian-Hungarian trilingual pair of siblings (under age 4 and 3 respectively) is analyzed, with a special focus on cross-linguistic influences at the phonetic/phonological levels. It will be shown that beyond the amount of input there are more important factors that trigger interference in multilingual development.
The Impact of Teaching Communication Strategies on EFL Learners' Willingness to Communicate
Author: Mesgarshahr, Abulfazl
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Communication Strategies,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Pretests Posttests,Foreign Countries,Statistical Analysis,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Teaching Methods,Communicative Competence (Languages),Rating Scales,Self Evaluation (Individuals),Language Tests,Anxiety,Communication (Thought Transfer),Language Skills,Student Attitudes,Adult Students,Questionnaires

One of the pedagogical implications of the research on the Willingness to Communicate (WTC) might be to propose practical ways of making language learners more willing to communicate in the classroom. This study investigated the impact of teaching communication strategies (CSs) on Iranian EFL learners' WTC. To this end, 8 intact classes were included as the experimental and control groups. The control group underwent regular language instruction, while the experimental group received the treatment (i.e., communication strategy training). The self-report measurement of WTC (MacIntyre, Baker, Clément, &amp; Conrad, 2001) was done before (pre-test) and after the treatment (post-test). The results of the independent-samples t test showed that the degree of WTC of the treatment group was significantly higher compared with that of the control group. It was concluded that teaching CSs helps learners become more willing to communicate in the classroom.
Student Perspectives of Self-Directed Language Learning: Implications for Teaching and Research
Author: Du, Fengning
Date: 2013-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Attitudes,Independent Study,Individual Differences,Qualitative Research,Community Colleges,Two Year College Students,Teacher Role,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Metacognition,Learning Strategies,Learning Motivation,Focus Groups,Interviews,Educational Research,Chinese,Portfolios (Background Materials),Educational Benefits

This article presents findings from a qualitative study examining students' perspectives of engaging in an autonomous learning project at a community college. Through the conceptual prism of self-directed learning, this study describes how students view the benefits of SDL as well as the roles of teachers. It also touches on factors contributing to the variances in students' SDL competencies. With data collected from focus group interviews, the findings confirmed the utility of SDL as a potent learning strategy for students of foreign languages because this format could lead to improvements in knowledge domain, meta-cognitive skills, and motivation. In addition, the findings call for the need to consider individual differences in the design of SDL programs. Implications of the study findings for further teaching and research are also discussed.
International Comparisons of Foundation Phase Number Domain Mathematics Knowledge and Practice Standards
Author: Human, Anja
Date: 2015-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Comparative Analysis,Mathematics Education,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Foreign Countries,Mathematical Concepts,Research Design,Grade 1,Grade 2,Grade 3,Elementary School Mathematics,Mathematics Instruction,Elementary School Students,Student Teachers,Mathematical Logic,Qualitative Research,Content Analysis,Documentation

Poor mathematics performance in schools is both a national and an international concern. Teachers ought to be equipped with relevant subject matter knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge as one way to address this problem. However, no mathematics knowledge and practice standards have as yet been defined for the preparation of Foundation Phase student teachers in South Africa. To make recommendations for the drafting of such standards for final year Foundation Phase teachers, we compared different policy documents. We performed a document analysis on policy documents from South Africa, The Netherlands, Australia and North Carolina (United States of America), all of which addressed the number domain in mathematics. Our findings indicate that knowledge standards ought to include subject matter knowledge, while practice standards require pedagogical content knowledge, noting that neither of these are fulfilled in the education system in South Africa at present.
Student-Faculty Co-Inquiry into Student Reading: Recognising SoTL as Pedagogic Practice
Author: Weller, Saranne
Date: 2013-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Scholarship,Instruction,Learning,Foreign Students,Reading,Higher Education,Undergraduate Students,Foreign Countries,Case Studies,Teacher Student Relationship,Cooperation,Student Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Teaching Methods,English (Second Language),Essays,Reflection,Power Structure

This paper reports the evaluation of a student-faculty collaborative study investigating international students' perceptions of the role of reading in higher education. The study examined the academic reading and source-use practices of ten undergraduate students in a range of disciplines in one UK university. In previous research on student literacy practices, students are often positioned as research &quot;objects&quot; rather than as active participants with an investment in enhancing the student experience through engagement in pedagogic research. In this paper we present a case study of student faculty collaboration in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). Drawing on the analysis of student and lecturer accounts of the collaborative research experience, we identify the benefits and challenges of student-faculty partnership approaches. We conclude by arguing that conceptualising SOTL as pedagogy may facilitate the engagement of students as co-researchers and expose to scrutiny a &quot;hidden curriculum&quot; of current approaches to SoTL.
Identifying the Effects of Specific CHC Factors on College Students' Reading Comprehension
Author: Taub, Gordon E.
Date: 2013-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Comprehension,College Students,Statistical Significance,Models,Performance Factors,Reading Tests,Achievement Tests,Structural Equation Models,Cognitive Ability,Cognitive Tests,Goodness of Fit

Reading comprehension is an important skill for college academic success. Much of the research pertaining to reading in general, and reading comprehension specifically, focuses on the success of primary and secondary school-age students. The present study goes beyond previous research by extending such investigation to the reading comprehension of college-age student participants. Using the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theoretical model, this study investigates the effects of seven broad factors on the reading comprehension of college-age students. Of the seven broad factors identified within the CHC theoretical model, only crystallized intelligence and visual-spatial thinking demonstrate statistically significant direct effects on reading comprehension. Although crystallized intelligence consistently has been identified as playing an integral role in the reading comprehension of primary and secondary school-age students, this study represents the first time visual-spatial thinking has been found to have a statistically significant direct effect on reading comprehension, in any population. This study provides hypotheses to explain the effects of visual-spatial thinking on college-age students' reading comprehension and offers instructional strategies to assist faculty in improving student learning in higher education settings.
Using Digital Mapping Tool in Ill-Structured Problem Solving
Author: Bai, Hua
Date: 2013-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Problem Solving,Scaffolding (Teaching Technique),Computer Uses in Education,Case Studies,Concept Mapping,Instructional Design,Undergraduate Students,Educational Technology,Education Courses,Instructional Materials,Instructional Effectiveness

Scaffolding students' problem solving and helping them to improve problem solving skills are critical in instructional design courses. This study investigated the effects of students' uses of a digital mapping tool on their problem solving performance in a design case study. It was found that the students who used the digital mapping tool performed better than those who did not use the tool in providing arguments when defining the problem and justifying the solutions. The results indicated that digital concept mapping could facilitate students' ill-structured problem solving. In this study, guide map was used. Future research may examine the use of free style map in problem solving.
Some Aspects of Education Litigation since 1994: Of Hope, Concern and Despair
Author: Beckmann, Johan
Date: 2015-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Court Litigation,Depression (Psychology),Qualitative Research,Foreign Countries,Semi Structured Interviews,Professionalism,Civil Rights,Unions,Educational Legislation

In this article we report on qualitative research in which we probed the opinions and views of a purposive sample of high-profile and influential role players in education about aspects of education litigation in South Africa since 1994. This year marked the transition to a democratic government in South Africa, and resulted in a new education system, which has led to a great deal of litigation, as was to be expected. Our participants were personally involved in litigation in various capacities. Their responses to our questions reflected hope, but also concern, and even despair. In their opinions almost all of the disputes were between the state and its citizens, and that the state lost virtually all cases. State officials often ignored legal advice and acted on &quot;imagined powers,&quot; causing embarrassment to the state where they seemed insensitive to the needs of the people, and sometimes deliberately transgressed prescripts and provisions, abandoning its mandate to children and the country more broadly. There is extreme concern about the tendency of officials to ignore court orders. No lessons seem to have been learned from judgments and infractions of the same kind occur repeatedly--even if litigation seems to have consumed between 4-6% of the education budget. There was surprise that cases dealt almost exclusively with disputes about stake-holders' powers, and that few human rights and social issues have been litigated. Furthermore, individual officials that seemed to suffer no consequences from their unlawful actions and showed an apparent lack of professionalism to acquaint themselves with the legal prescripts that govern their professional work, caused concern for our respondents, as did the destructive role that unions and politicians seemed to play in education. However, litigation has nonetheless led to the clarification of some issues.
Examining Millennial Characterizations as Guidance for Choosing Classroom Strategy Changes
Author: Russo, Tracy
Date: 2013-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Age Groups,Generational Differences,Student Surveys,Focus Groups,College Faculty,Undergraduate Students,Likert Scales,Expectation,Speech Communication,Speech Curriculum,Reflection,Student Reaction

This project reports exploration of the expectations of the students in my large public Midwestern university about learning processes and their teachers. Its objective was to help ground my own reflections on whether and how the pedagogical changes proposed to accommodate the Millennial generation are appropriate for my students and for me. Data were gathered through a survey (n = 204) based on the literature and specifically focusing on claims made about the Millennial generational group. I then sought to identify additional issues and to hear the students' own reflections on teaching and learning through three focus groups. Results indicated that some student responses to items reflecting generational characterizations were consistent with stereotypical claims, but some were not. This paper then presents my reflection about how results inform how I might proceed as I seek to support learning in my students.
Undergraduate Student Teachers' Views and Experiences of a Compulsory Course in Research Methods
Author: Lombard, B. J. J.
Date: 2015-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Teachers,Undergraduate Students,Student Teacher Attitudes,Research Methodology,Active Learning,Preservice Teachers,Teacher Education,Teacher Education Programs,Comparative Analysis,Statistical Analysis,Student Attitudes,Foreign Countries

In comparison to attention given to research methods for education students at postgraduate level, the offering of research methods for education students at undergraduate level is less often considered. Yet, it is agreed that research methods for undergraduate level students is important for shaping student attitudes, learning and achievement in the field of research. In concurrence with the aforementioned, this paper aimed to examine the views and experiences of a conveniently sampled group of 124 undergraduate South African student teachers of a compulsory course in research methods. By following a quantitative research design, the authors determined the sampled students' experiences of research methods, how they value them, and how they perceive the pedagogy, which in this particular instance was &quot;working-in-pairs&quot;, to teach research methods. For all three the mentioned facets, the findings reflected positive results. However, the research results also pointed to specific issues which might enrich the teaching and status of research methods for undergraduate level education students.
Are e-Books Effective Tools for Learning? Reading Speed and Comprehension: iPad®[superscript i] vs. Paper
Author: Sackstein, Suzanne
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Publishing,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Foreign Countries,Handheld Devices,Quasiexperimental Design,Reading Rate,Reading Comprehension,High School Students,College Students,Reading Tests,Instructional Effectiveness,Grade 10,State Standards,Achievement Tests,Standardized Tests,Questionnaires,Multivariate Analysis,Statistical Analysis

Recently, electronic books (e-books) have become prevalent amongst the general population, as well as students, owing to their advantages over traditional books. In South Africa, a number of schools have integrated tablets into the classroom with the promise of replacing traditional books. In order to realise the potential of e-books and their associated devices within an academic context, where reading speed and comprehension are critical for academic performance and personal growth, the effectiveness of reading from a tablet screen should be evaluated. To achieve this objective, a quasi-experimental within subjects design was employed in order to compare the reading speed and comprehension performance of 68 students. The results of this study indicate the majority of participants read faster on an iPad, which is in contrast to previous studies that have found reading from tablets to be slower. It was also found that comprehension scores did not differ significantly between the two media. For students, these results provide evidence that tablets and e-books are suitable tools for reading and learning, and therefore, can be used for academic work. For educators, e-books can be introduced without concern that reading performance and comprehension will be hindered.
Inclusive, Interactive Classroom as Student-Learning Facilitator
Author: Lo, Celia
Date: 2013-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Undergraduate Study,Social Problems,Assignments,Small Group Instruction,Large Group Instruction,Discussion (Teaching Technique),Thinking Skills,Blended Learning,Technology Uses in Education,Educational Technology,Student Evaluation,Student Satisfaction,Learning Activities,Correlation,Teaching Methods,Student Surveys,College Students,Statistical Analysis,Qualitative Research

Using principles underlying the social constructivist approach, we redesigned an undergraduate course on social problems, seeking to employ three learning activities (online assignments and small-group and class discussions) to facilitate knowledge construction by students and promote their intellectual capabilities and critical-thinking skills. We collected qualitative and quantitative data from students enrolled in the redesigned, hybrid course (it comprised class meetings on campus plus online work), two sections of which were taught. Students in both sections completed two feedback evaluation surveys about satisfaction and learning; this survey data comprised narrative comments completed across the fall and spring semesters of 2010-2011. We examined the data, seeking social processes linking the three learning activities to student satisfaction and to student learning. Results showed a link between student satisfaction and student learning generated from, notably, in-class small-group and class discussions. Some implications for pedagogy are outlined.
&quot;A Hundred Times We Learned from One Another&quot; Collaborative Learning in an Academic Writing Workshop
Author: Dowse, Cilla
Date: 2015-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Collaborative Writing,Writing Instruction,Workshops,Proposal Writing,Graduate Students,Feedback (Response),English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Academic Discourse,Second Language Instruction,Peer Relationship,Tutors,Laboratories,Writing (Composition),Student Attitudes,Questionnaires,Needs Assessment,Foreign Countries,Intervention

Using Design Research as methodology and research design type, this article reports on a research proposal writing workshop conducted with Education postgraduate students, with the aim of ascertaining the roles that conversation, collaboration and feedback play in constructing meaning and supporting writing. It was found that through conversation, as part of a general discourse within a community that students whose first language may differ from that of others, but for whom the language of learning is English, are able to share with tutors and other students, and to negotiate meaning. The construction of knowledge is consequently dependent on conversation between students, their peers and the tutors within a collaborative community, such as a writing centre, in which feedback on writing is offered and received in order to support student writing.
Challenging the Academically Adrift: A New Decision-Making Tool to Help Improve Student Commitment to Academic Preparation
Author: Davis, Carolyn D.
Date: 2013-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Decision Making Skills,Decision Making,Metacognition,Undergraduate Students,College Preparation,Organizational Culture,Instructional Design,Workshops,Statistical Analysis,Qualitative Research,Academic Persistence,Business Administration Education

This paper describes research in progress concerning the development and use of a newly created tool, the Decision-Making Grid, which was designed to teach undergraduate management students to develop and use metacognitive regulation skills to improve decision-making by requiring students to construct improved decision-making models in a boundedly rational manner. When students are required to use the metacognitive skills of planning, monitoring and evaluating focused on important and relevant decision-criteria, students are better positioned to commit to appropriate academic preparation. The null hypothesis proposing that there would be no variance in means in the measure of commitment to academic preparation was rejected using data from three academic years of data. Qualitative analyses provide evidence that the Grid can help students commit to academic preparation.
Cognitive and Affective Outcomes of Short-Term Service-Learning Experiences: An Exploratory Study
Author: Davis, Darrel R.
Date: 2013-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Service Learning,Outcomes of Education,Cognitive Processes,Affective Behavior,Video Technology,Reflection,Undergraduate Students,Educational Psychology,Psychology,Introductory Courses,Multivariate Analysis,Scores,Learning Experience,Performance,Comparative Analysis,Statistical Analysis

This study examined the performance differences in cognitive and affective outcomes between students who completed a short-term service-learning experience and students who watched a video exemplar of the task. Performance measures were obtained via a written reflection paper that contained both cognitive and affective components. Results revealed no significant differences on cognitive outcomes and significant differences on affective outcomes. The results were consistent when academic level and overall course performance were controlled. Implications and future research directions are discussed.