ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Critical Thinking Concept Reconstructed
Author: Minter, Mary Kennedy
Date: 2010-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Critical Thinking,Problem Solving,Predictor Variables,Barriers,Creative Thinking,Individual Needs,Logical Thinking,Classification,Multiple Intelligences

This paper explores the proposition that teaching of critical thinking (CT) should include: (1) identifying and addressing the many environmental variables acting as barriers to our human thinking, i.e., an open system approach, and (2) utilizing the interrelatedness of the CT building blocks, i.e., creative thinking techniques, levels of learning, hierarchy of human needs, classic problem solving processes, and classic logical reasoning.
YouTube for Two: Online Video Resources in a Student-Centered, Task-Based ESL/EFL Environment
Author: Hamilton, Robert
Date: 2010-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Video Technology,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Foreign Countries,Task Analysis,Teaching Methods,Interpersonal Communication,Universities,Learning Motivation,Student Centered Curriculum,Receptive Language,Expressive Language,Intensive Language Courses,College Students

Online technology and streaming video have the potential to generate tremendous interest and motivation in ESL/EFL students. Unfortunately, as the basis for a task-based language teaching (TBLT) program, such technology often places students in a passive position and limits inter-student communication. This paper describes a successful TBLT course at Tokyo's Meiji University, and explores some of the methodology for exploiting the motivational potential of streaming video sites, while ensuring that students use the target language both productively and receptively.
Implementing Electronic Conferencing within a Distance-Based University: University of South Africa Case Study
Author: Kritzinger, E.
Date: 2010-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Distance Education,College Students,Computer Mediated Communication,Teleconferencing,Action Research,Electronic Learning,Synchronous Communication,Computer Software,Feedback (Response),Student Surveys

The outcome of this paper is primarily to survey and analyse student interactions with electronic conferencing systems and to reflect on the impact of such a system on the students' learning within an open distance learning context. This pilot study is articulated within action research methodology to generate critical reflection on collaborative, online environments such as electronic conferencing systems for teaching and learning. This study aims to assess the benefits and feasibility of integrating such a system within the University of South Africa's (UNISA) current organisational structure. These results are intended to generate debate and further research within the university into possible evolution in practice within the institution that would address contemporary learning needs of students. As this was a feasibility study, a comparative study of the current tools available for electronic conferencing was warranted. The findings of this study may be used as a basis for further investigation on the challenges that might face the university if online learning were to be implemented. The success of the online conference is nevertheless significant within the context of the University of South Africa. It provides the opportunity to re-examine the current print-based delivery system, and to devise strategies and solutions to significantly increase the quality of learning within the organisation.
The Role of Higher Education in Personal Relationships
Author: Lemoine, Amanda
Date: 2011-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Interpersonal Relationship,Sex Role,Age,Marriage,Career Choice,Goal Orientation,Decision Making,Educational Attitudes,Student Surveys

The roles within personal relationships have evolved throughout the years. What was once a &quot;traditional&quot; role within a household is now considered outdated and old-fashioned. These roles have been influenced by many factors, one of those being higher education. A study was conducted to examine how those roles have been influenced by higher education. In the late 1940's, many U.S. women stayed home, raised their children and did not work outside the home unless there was a missing male figure to provide for the family. Although women may have wanted to venture into the workforce, it wasn't widely accepted. However, a Census Bureau study in 1948 found that 17 million women were in the paid labor force (Walker 1998).
Shifting the Focus from Teaching to Learning: Rethinking the Role of the Teacher Educator
Author: Hsu, Amy
Date: 2011-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,College Faculty,Teacher Role,College Students,Student Role,Learner Controlled Instruction,Teacher Educators,Preservice Teachers

This article will discuss the traditional college format and its recent transformation. It will address the changing role of both the college professor and the 21st century college learner. As society evolves, curriculum develops and new standards are introduced, there is a call for a shift from teacher-directed instruction to student-centered learning. This article specifically highlights strategies for empowering students to take charge of their own learning within the higher education classroom. These techniques include examples for teacher educators to employ as they serve as models to the pre-service teachers they instruct.
Teaching a Geographical Component in World History Curriculum
Author: Kachina, Olga A.
Date: 2011-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: World History,History Instruction,Geography,High Schools,Public Schools,Political Issues,Teaching Methods,Cultural Influences,Foreign Policy,Public Policy,Social Studies,Secondary Education

This article is devoted to the topic of teaching a geographical component in World History curriculum in American public high schools. Despite the fact that the federal legislation entitled &quot;No Child Left Behind&quot; (2001) declared geography as a &quot;core&quot; academic subject, geography was the only subject dropped from federal funding. As a result, geography as a separate subject in the majority of public schools around the country ceased to exist. California, New Mexico, and Rhode Island have adopted state standards of combined course of World History and Geography. However, a small geography segment included within the World History course has not been sufficient to provide students with a satisfactory level of geographical literacy. American students show their lack of geographical knowledge in one study after another even though the 21st century is an era of globalization and increasing international relationship. The geopolitical approach to teaching the World History course promoted in this paper can improve the situation significantly in a relatively short period of time. This geopolitical approach stresses the connection between history and geography. It involves an analysis of a county's economy, culture, domestic and foreign policies as directly connected to its geography. This approach improves students' analytical thinking and conceptual understanding.
A Note for Graphing Calculators in the Fundamental Finance Course
Author: Chen, Jeng-Hong
Date: 2011-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Graphing Calculators,Finance Occupations,Problem Solving,Business Administration Education,Undergraduate Students,Technology Uses in Education,Investment,Equations (Mathematics),Computation,Teaching Methods

The financial calculator is incorporated in finance education. In class, the instructor shows students how to use the financial calculator's function keys to solve time value of money (TVM) related problems efficiently. The fundamental finance course is required for all majors in the business school. Some students, especially non-accounting/non-finance majors, still want to use their graphing calculators rather than purchase financial calculators to save the cost. In fact, graphing calculators, such as TI-83 Plus and TI-84 Plus, also contain finance functions and many undergraduate students had owned TI-83 Plus or TI-84 Plus before they took the fundamental finance course in the junior year. This note provides a perspective that instructors of the undergraduate fundamental finance course may consider teaching students how to use finance functions of the graphing calculator in addition to teaching students how to use the financial calculator in class.
Comparative Analysis of Classroom Speech in Upper Level Spanish College Courses: A Social Constructivist View
Author: Rondon-Pari, Graziela
Date: 2011-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Classroom Communication,Spanish,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Advanced Courses,Speech Communication,Constructivism (Learning),Teaching Methods,Communicative Competence (Languages),Academic Achievement,Native Language,Language Usage,Feedback (Response),Sociocultural Patterns,Learning Theories,Grammar,Linguistic Theory,Interviews,Surveys,Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Language Tests,Pretests Posttests,Vocabulary Development,Language Fluency,Writing (Composition),Oral Language,Metalinguistics,English,Nonverbal Communication,Error Correction,Error Analysis (Language),Comparative Analysis,College Students,College Faculty,Qualitative Research,Observation

This study reflects a social constructivist theoretical framework in which the zone of proximal development (ZPD) is a central element, as two teaching approaches, communicative language teaching (CLT) and explicit focus on form (FonF) are examined. Research questions include: Are CLT and explicit FonF conducive to reaching the ZPD? Is there a difference in academic achievement in Spanish between students taught with a CLT approach as opposed to an explicit FonF? What is the ratio of mother tongue versus target language used in each of the two classrooms studied? Findings show that the ZPD can be reached through either approach with the use of the appropriate feedback techniques. In terms of academic achievement, the explicit FonF group outperformed the CLT group, but in terms of language use, CLT group engaged in a larger proportion of target language use.
Key Performance Indicators of Public Universities Based on Quality Assessment Criteria in Thailand
Author: Sukboonyasatit, Kritsana
Date: 2011-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Quality,Evaluation Criteria,Foreign Countries,Qualitative Research,Interviews,State Universities,Scores,Institutional Evaluation,Institutional Mission,Strategic Planning,Performance Based Assessment,Institutional Research,College Graduates,Art,Educational Administration,Goal Orientation

The research objective was to develop public universities' key performance indicators. Qualitative research and interviews were employed with each public university's senior executive and quality assessors. The sample group was selected by the office of the public sector development commission and Thailand's public universities can be separated into three groups based on their quality assessment score: 1) the high scoring group, 2) the moderate scoring group, and 3) the low scoring group. The results showed that the high scoring group had set a clear strategic context such as vision, mission, core values and corporate goals. In the case of the moderate scoring group it was found that some sections of the strategic context, such as the vision and mission, had already been defined, but corporate goals were yet to be determined. The strategic context was not clear and remained inactive for the low scoring group. In additional, each public university should establish two different sets of key performance indicators; first, a common key performance indicator which is aligned with the public university mission to enhance macro education, and which can be separated by five assessment perspectives as follows: 1) to produce graduates, 2) to promote and expand the university's research, 3) to provide academic services, 4) to preserve and promote the arts, culture and heritage, and 5) to manage the university. The second specific key performance indicator should be aligned with the university's strategic context, especially its vision and goals.
Women in University Management: The Nigerian Experience
Author: Abiodun-Oyebanji, Olayemi
Date: 2011-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Women Administrators,Questionnaires,Foreign Countries,College Administration,Surveys,State Universities,Administrator Attitudes,Statistical Analysis,Promotion (Occupational),Gender Differences,Employment Opportunities,Work Environment

This study examined women in university management in Nigeria. It was a descriptive research of the survey type. The population of the study comprised all the public universities in southwest Nigeria, out of which three were selected through the stratified random sampling technique. Three hundred respondents who were in management positions were purposively sampled for this study. A questionnaire tagged Women in University Management Questionnaire (WUMQ) was used to elicit information from the respondents. Data collected from the questionnaire were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, t-test analysis and Pearson products for research questions and hypotheses raised for the study. Results showed that the level of women participating in university management in Nigerian University was dismally low; most of the high management positions were occupied by men. Results of the study further revealed that many women in the university system were being deprived of high management positions because they do not have the same opportunities for advancement as their male counterparts and also, the undue strictness of many women jeopardizes their chances of attaining high management positions in Nigerian universities. Based on these findings, it was recommended that the parochial belief of some people &quot;that women do not have what it takes to manage a university simply because they are women&quot; should be discarded. Women should also put a check on their undue strictness in the workplace and also, conducive working environments that will promote women's advancement should be promoted in Nigerian Universities.
Lessons Learned: Reflections on Training Student Tutors
Author: Beukes, Chantal
Date: 2011-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Tutors,Teaching Assistants,Training Methods,Experiential Learning,Action Research,Mixed Methods Research,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis,Questionnaires,College Seniors,Skill Development,Course Content,Relevance (Education),Educational Quality,Educational Needs,Needs Assessment,Teacher Education Programs,Foreign Countries

As an academic institution that is still in its early phases of organisational growth, Monash University, South Africa does not have a pool of postgraduate students that can be utilised for teaching assistance in units with large groups of students. This necessitated the selection of high-calibre honours candidates and third-year students that could be trained to become tutors. The tutor training, upon which this study is based, originated from a practical need that arose within the context of teaching at a small higher education institution. The researchers developed the training with the intention of providing the necessary skills enhancement needed for tutors to conduct successful tutorials. Due to the novelty of this endeavour, the research questions emerged with the formulation of the original content of the training course. There were three main research questions. Firstly, to verify whether the topics covered in the training did in fact provide the requisite real-world knowledge and skills development. Secondly, to evaluate the quality of the training that was provided. Thirdly, to ascertain other gaps in knowledge and skill that exist and that need to be addressed. A mixed methodological approach was followed in this study. Action research and group-administered questionnaires were utilised. Action research was used both in the data collection and in the data analysis phases. Group-administered questionnaires facilitated data triangulation to enhance the validity of the research findings. The research method utilised in this study to evaluate the efficacy of the training and to identify further training needs, presented a unique opportunity for reflective practice. The content of the training was set up to address needs identified by the researchers, based on their own teaching and tutoring experiences. To ensure continuous improvement and efficacy, the content was refined once the participants were given an opportunity to provide feedback. The researchers reflected on what transpired in each training session and developed new insights into potential gaps that needed filling. The participants responded positively to the unique learning situation that was created and felt that the training equipped them with the basic skills they needed as novice tutors. The researchers found that reflective practice effectively enabled the participants to identify the individual value gained from the learning experience.
A Model for Effectively Assessing Student Learning Outcomes
Author: Ohia, Uche O.
Date: 2011-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Outcome Measures,Academic Achievement,Achievement Rating,Models,Evaluation Methods,Quality Assurance,Institutional Mission,Alignment (Education),Behavioral Objectives,Evaluation Criteria,Data Analysis,Achievement Gains,Evaluation Utilization,Research Methodology,Best Practices,Guidelines,Program Descriptions

This paper describes a model proven to be effective for assessing and documenting evidence of student learning outcomes. Specifically, it will share a model, F.A.M.O.U.S. Copyright ©2008, which is an acronym exemplifying six effective steps for complying with institutional accountability and eternal assessment requirements proscribed by the various US accreditation agencies.
Considering Jumping Ship? A Pirate Looks at Retirement
Author: Kilpatrick, Bob G.
Date: 2011-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Retirement,Retirement Benefits,Personnel Policy,Preretirement Education,College Faculty,State Surveys,Money Management,Decision Making,Economic Impact,Comparative Analysis,Faculty Mobility

If you're like me, a &quot;senior&quot; faculty member at a public state university facing significant budget cuts, recently you've probably thought about leaving your current position for another faculty position in a different state. A possible reason for considering jumping ship is envisioning a clearer picture of your retirement as it nears on the horizon--a retirement that does not look quite what you had projected ten years ago, due to the that fact that you elected the defined contribution (DC) plan (often referred to as an &quot;optional&quot; or &quot;alternate&quot; retirement plan at universities) rather than the traditional defined benefit (DB) state employee pension plan when you first arrived at your university 20-odd years ago (which was the right choice, at that time, given the information available…keep reminding yourself of that), and then seeing the value of that retirement account drop considerably two-three years ago. Although your retirement account may have mostly recovered, there are still those lost years of growth that may have you second-guessing your previous decision. Alas, that decision cannot be undone, but a new decision can be created by moving to another state. It is this possible decision that is the topic of this paper. What factors should be considered in choosing between the traditional DB plan and the optional DC plan for an individual who cannot necessarily reach the maximum benefit under the DB plan?
Trial by Hire: The Seven Stages of Learning to Teach in Higher Education
Author: Post, Patricia A.
Date: 2011-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Phenomenology,Narration,Beliefs,Teacher Attitudes,Transformative Learning,Independent Study,On the Job Training,Data Analysis,Learning Processes,Self Efficacy,Adult Learning,Educational Principles,Teaching Skills,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Models,Interpersonal Competence,School Support,Diversity (Faculty),Foreign Countries,Interviews,College Faculty

This phenomenological study describes seven stages of learning to teach at the university level. Through the use of narratives, twelve Canadian university professors reveal their beliefs and attitudes about teaching and learning as they struggle to become better teachers within various academic settings. The purpose of the study was to develop a better understanding of self-directed and transformative learning as it relates to adults who engage in on-the-job-training. Data analysis resulted in eight themes which occurred in seven developmental stages: Warming, Forming, Informing, Storming, Performing, Reforming, and Transforming. The findings suggest that a better understanding of the stages of learning to teach in higher education could: 1) enable faculty to gain confidence in their teaching ability earlier on in their careers (Bain, 2004); 2) assist faculty developers to better meet the changing needs of faculty (Cranton, 2001); and 3) guide administrators in their efforts to promote the scholarship of teaching and learning within their academic milieu (MacKeracher, 1996).
Developing an English Language Textbook Evaluation Checklist
Author: Mukundan, Jayakaran
Date: 2011-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Check Lists,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Textbook Evaluation,Evaluation Criteria,Validity,Reliability,Curriculum Design,Material Development,Language Teachers

The paper describes the considerations that were taken into account in the development of a tentative English language textbook evaluation checklist. A brief review of the related literature precedes the crucial issues that should be considered in developing checklists. In the light of the previous evaluation checklists the developers created a list of the evaluative criteria on which the construct of the checklist could be established. The developers considered matters of validity, reliability and practicality in the process of its design; however, further research is in process to refine the checklist. Such an instrument could be used by curriculum designers, material developers and evaluators, as well as English language teachers.
Problems Faced by Physical Handicapped Students in Educational Institutions in District Kohat
Author: Hussain, Ishtiaq
Date: 2011-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Physical Disabilities,Sampling,Questionnaires,Inclusion,Student Adjustment,Classification,Foreign Countries,Student Attitudes,Assistive Technology,Access to Education,Educational Facilities,Teacher Student Relationship,Parent Teacher Cooperation

The purpose of the study was to explore the problems faced by physical handicapped students in normal educational institutions and to find solutions to the problems faced by physical handicapped students. All the physical handicapped students studying in educational institutions in District Kohat constituted the population of the study. The study was delimited to the physical handicapped students studying in 20 general educational institutions at four levels; i.e., Elementary, Secondary, Higher Secondary and Higher Education. Forty students, both male and female, were selected from 20 educational institutions using a random sampling technique. A questionnaire was constructed using the problems faced by physically handicapped students. The results of the investigation revealed that the physically handicapped children constitute 2-3% of the population and the majority of them are lame. They face a lot of problems while studying in normal educational institutions.