ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Assessing Graduate Student Learning in Four Competencies: Use of a Common Assignment and a Combined Rubric
Author: Khan, Rana
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Graduate Students,Student Evaluation,Assignments,Scoring Rubrics,College Outcomes Assessment,Pilot Projects,Interrater Reliability

Since 2001, the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) Graduate School has been conducting outcomes assessment of student learning. The current 3-3-3 Model of assessment has been used at the program and school levels providing results that assist refinement of programs and courses. Though effective, this model employs multiple rubrics to assess a wide variety of assignments and is complex to administer. This paper discusses a new outcomes assessment model called C2, currently being piloted in UMUC's Graduate School. The model employs a single common activity (CoA) to be used by all Graduate School programs. It is designed to assess four of the five student learning expectations (SLEs) using one combined rubric (ComR). The assessment activity, scored by trained raters, displays pilot results supporting inter-rater agreement. Pilot implementation of the C2 model has advanced its reliability and its potential to streamline current assessment processes in the Graduate School.
Quality and Utility of the Multi-Tiered Instruction Self-Efficacy Scale
Author: Barnes, Susan K.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Self Efficacy,Self Concept Measures,Response to Intervention,Teacher Effectiveness,Test Reliability,Factor Analysis,Teacher Surveys,Elementary School Teachers,Secondary School Teachers,Preschool Teachers,Kindergarten

Response to Intervention (RTI) is an educational approach that integrates ongoing assessment of individual student progress with targeted instruction. Administrators and teachers in P-12 schools expressed a need for colleagues in higher education to provide training to general education pre-service and in-service teachers in selecting appropriate instruments and conducting accurate assessments, tasks traditionally performed by special education teachers. Researchers developed a scale to measure self-efficacy of educators using these approaches to better identify areas in which educators need additional support. Researchers wanted to know if the scale functioned as expected and if it was appropriate to use the scale for their intended purposes. This paper describes the results of the study of the characteristics of the scale following the administration of the pilot, including indices of score reliability and utility. The researchers used measures of internal consistency and factor analysis to assess scale quality. The results indicate that the scale is useful for measuring teacher perceptions of their self-efficacy using multi-tiered instructional approaches.
The Role of Gender in Test-Taking Motivation under Low-Stakes Conditions
Author: DeMars, Christine E.
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Gender Differences,Scores,Student Motivation,Test Wiseness,Response Style (Tests),Guessing (Tests),Attendance,Student Behavior,College Students,Student Attitudes,Science Education,Business Administration Education,Psychological Patterns,Tests,Science Tests

Examinee effort can impact the validity of scores on higher education assessments. Many studies of examinee effort have briefly noted gender differences, but gender differences in test-taking effort have not been a primary focus of research. This review of the literature brings together gender-related findings regarding three measures of examinee motivation: attendance at the assigned testing session, time spent on each test item, and self-reported effort. Evidence from the literature is summarized, with some new results presented. Generally, female examinees exert more effort, with differences mostly at very low levels of effort--the levels at which effort is most likely to impact test scores. Examinee effort is positively correlated with conscientiousness and agreeableness, and negatively correlated with workavoidance. The gender differences in these constructs may account for some of the gender differences in test-taking effort. Limitations and implications for higher education assessment practice are discussed.
Assessing Honor Code Effectiveness: Results of a Multipronged Approach from a Five Year Study
Author: Sledge, Sally
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Public Colleges,Student Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Integrity,Ethics,Cheating,Student Behavior,College Students,Business,Student Surveys,Teacher Surveys,Intervention,Graduate Surveys,Deception,Statistical Analysis,Longitudinal Studies

This paper describes an ongoing study at a small public university to assess student, faculty and alumni perceptions of academic integrity and business ethics. The phases of the research are detailed for application or replication by other institutions of higher education. The study involves anonymous surveys and academic integrity-based interventions to assess the opinions of ethics and the honor code among students and faculty. Alumni were surveyed regarding the impacts of the honor code on their behavior as students and as employees after graduation. The results show that interventions improved familiarity with the honor code and knowledge of academic integrity among students, faculty and alumni. Directions for continued assessments to include the aforementioned groups as well as administrators and staff are given.
Assessing Writing in MOOCs: Automated Essay Scoring and Calibrated Peer Review™
Author: Balfour, Stephen P.
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Online Courses,Writing Evaluation,Automation,Scoring,Peer Evaluation,Essays,Higher Education,Literature Reviews

Two of the largest Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) organizations have chosen different methods for the way they will score and provide feedback on essays students submit. EdX, MIT and Harvard's non-profit MOOC federation, recently announced that they will use a machine-based Automated Essay Scoring (AES) application to assess written work in their MOOCs. Coursera, a Stanford startup for MOOCs, has been skeptical of AES applications and therefore has held that it will use some form of human-based &quot;calibrated peer review&quot; to score and provide feedback on student writing. This essay reviews the relevant literature on AES and UCLA's Calibrated Peer Review™ (CPR) product at a high level, outlines the capabilities and limitations of both AES and CPR, and provides a table and framework for comparing these forms of assessment of student writing in MOOCs.
Faculty Attitudes toward General Education Assessment: A Qualitative Study about Their Motivation
Author: MacDonald, Sarah K.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Faculty,Teacher Attitudes,Educational Assessment,Teacher Motivation,General Education,Qualitative Research,Semi Structured Interviews,Theories

As assessment becomes an ever more critical facet of higher education, it is apparent that some faculty do not always value assessment (Crossley &amp; Wang, 2010; Ebersole, 2009). Further, faculty may react with resistance, particularly when they perceive that assessment is being imposed upon them from external sources (Crossley &amp; Wang, 2010; Marrs, 2009; Welsh &amp; Metcalf, 2003). Motivation for faculty to participate in assessment is therefore a critical question. We conducted a qualitative study to explore faculty attitudes towards general education assessment, focusing particularly on faculty motivation for engaging in assessment. General education coordinators were interviewed about their perceptions of student learning outcomes assessment, using a semi-structured interview approach, and then coded by consensus according to Expectancy-Value Theory of motivation (Eccles et al., 1983; Wigfield &amp; Eccles, 2000; Wentzel &amp; Brophy, 2014). Implications for future assessment practice are also shared.
Measuring the Implementation Fidelity of Student Affairs Programs: A Critical Component of the Outcomes Assessment Cycle
Author: Gerstner, Jerusha J.
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Program Implementation,Fidelity,Student Personnel Services,Alignment (Education),Program Effectiveness,Program Evaluation,Inferences,Outcome Measures,Data Collection,Data Interpretation,Educational Practices,Test Validity,Research Design

Implementation fidelity assessment provides a means of measuring the alignment between the planned program and the implemented program. Unfortunately, the implemented program can differ from the planned program, resulting in ambiguous inferences about the planned program's effectiveness (i.e., it is uncertain if poor results are due to an ineffective program or poor implementation). We demonstrate how inclusion of implementation fidelity in the outcomes assessment process increases the validity of inferences about program effectiveness and, ultimately, student learning. Although our didactic discussion of implementation fidelity focuses on its importance to assessing student affairs programming, the concepts and process are applicable to academic programs as well.
The Other Half: Non-Tenure Track Faculty Thoughts on Student Learning Outcomes Assessment
Author: Danley-Scott, Jennifer
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Nontenured Faculty,College Faculty,College Outcomes Assessment,Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Surveys

Articles on student learning outcomes assessment often treat faculty as one homogenous body. Yet the exponential growth of contingent faculty in universities and colleges has created two distinct faculty groups with varied concerns and thoughts on everything from the future of higher education to shared governance to student learning outcomes. When considering faculty thoughts and concerns regarding the assessment of student learning outcomes, it is inappropriate to assume the concerns of tenure-line faculty will echo the concerns of non-tenure-line faculty. In this article, we explore survey comments given by non-tenure-line faculty, examining the thoughts and concerns of non-tenure-line faculty in regards to the creation, implementation, and ramifications of outcomes assessment. We find that the contingent status of these faculty creates unique concerns that should be considered and addressed by departments and institutions wishing to increase participation in outcomes assessment.
Studying Learning in the Worldwide Classroom Research into edX's First MOOC
Author: Breslow, Lori
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Online Courses,Electronics,Video Technology,Lecture Method,Participative Decision Making,Interaction,Computer Mediated Communication,Asynchronous Communication,Group Discussion,College Students,Educational Background,Academic Ability,Academic Achievement,Academic Persistence,Curriculum Design,College Instruction,Large Group Instruction,Time on Task,Demography

&quot;Circuits and Electronics&quot; (6.002x), which began in March 2012, was the first MOOC developed by edX, the consortium led by MIT and Harvard. Over 155,000 students initially registered for 6.002x, which was composed of video lectures, interactive problems, online laboratories, and a discussion forum. As the course ended in June 2012, researchers began to analyze the rich sources of data it generated. This article describes both the first stage of this research, which examined the students' use of resources by time spent on each, and a second stage that is producing an in-depth picture of who the 6.002x students were, how their own background and capabilities related to their achievement and persistence, and how their interactions with 6.002x's curricular and pedagogical components contributed to their level of success in the course.
The Effect of Summer Environmental Education Program (SEEP) on Elementary School Students' Environmental Literacy
Author: Erdogan, Mehmet
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Summer Programs,Environmental Education,Elementary School Students,Knowledge Level,Grade 4,Grade 5,Grade 6,Grade 7,Grade 8,Foreign Countries,Program Effectiveness,Pretests Posttests,Content Analysis,Statistical Analysis,Intention,Student Attitudes,Citizenship Responsibility,Intervention,Interdisciplinary Approach,Science Process Skills,Questionnaires,Student Behavior,Qualitative Research

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of Summer Environmental Education Program (SEEP) on elementary school students' environmental knowledge, affect, skills and behavior which are the main components of environmental literacy. The sample consisted of 45 students (25 males, 20 females) studying in 4th through 8th grades and living in Orphanage in Antalya. Various data collection instruments (e.g. Environmental Knowledge Test, Affective Disposition toward Environment Scale, Children's Responsible Environmental Behavior Scale and Scientific Process Skill for the Environmental Test) were used for assessing students' different outcomes prior to and after SEEP. The open-ended responses were subjected to content analysis whilst the remaining data were subjected to statistical analysis (e.g. repeated t-test). The results revealed that students' environmental knowledge, environmental sensitivity, intention, environmental attitudes and responsible environmental behaviors significantly increased after intervention. Even though students' &quot;cognitive skills&quot; and &quot;saving behavior&quot; increased from pre-test to post-test, these increases were not statistically significant.
A Model for School Counselors Supporting African American Youth with Forgiveness
Author: Baskin, Thomas W.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: African American Students,School Counseling,Intervention,Ethnicity,Altruism,Theories,Case Studies,Emotional Problems

The authors describe how practicing school counselors can appropriately and effectively work with African American youth regarding forgiveness. Further, the authors discuss the challenges that African American youth face. They illuminate how school counselors can help emotionally injured African American youth. As a school counseling intervention the forgiveness process can be conducted in a manner that is congruent with, and sensitive to, the development of positive African American ethnic identity. The use of forgiveness in school counseling is described, including the theory (Enright, 2001), and a case study, related to a process model of forgiveness.
Assisting High School Students with Career Indecision Using a Shortened Form of the Career Construction Interview
Author: Rehfuss, Mark C.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: High School Students,Career Choice,Interviews,Grade 11,School Counseling,Intervention,Counseling Effectiveness,Career Counseling,Career Exploration,Self Concept

A shortened form of the Career Construction Interview (CCI) was used to help high school students struggling with the career decision making process. The shortened instrument is described, as well as, its use with eleventh grade high school students who had low levels of career concern and career curiosity. Students who completed the exercise reported several themes that are introduced and discussed in the article. These themes reflected that the intervention was helpful and facilitated student self-understanding and career exploration. Practical applications for school counselors are discussed.
White School Counselors Becoming Racial Justice Allies to Students of Color: A Call to the Field of School Counseling
Author: Moss, Lauren J.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Whites,School Counselors,Minority Group Students,Racial Differences,Counselor Training,Graduate Students,Racial Bias,Racial Factors,Racial Identification,Identification (Psychology),Cultural Influences,Social Justice,Critical Theory,Race,Advocacy,Counseling Techniques,Vignettes

White school counselors must consider how racial identity, and whiteness as a construct, influences their work with students of color. This article addresses opportunities for White school counselors regarding how they may become allies to students of color and suggests way in which counselor educators can support the ally identity development in graduate students who are preparing to become school counselors. Intersections of racial privilege and ally identity development for White school counselors are described (Kendall, 2006; Mindrup, Spray &amp; Lamberghini-West, 2011), and recommendations to the field of school counseling are made. Tenets of critical race theory (Ladson-Billings &amp; Tate, 1995) and relational cultural theory (Jordan, 2010) are recommended as a theoretical framework for White school counselors' efforts.
Exploring Adult Learners Usage of Information Communication Technology during a Virtual Peer Coaching Experience
Author: Ladyshewsky, Richard
Date: 2015-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Adult Learning,Information Technology,Graduate Students,Online Courses,Business Administration Education,Coaching (Performance),Peer Teaching,Technology Uses in Education,Electronic Mail,Telecommunications,Computer Mediated Communication,Interactive Video,Use Studies,Electronic Learning,Technological Literacy

The purpose of this study was to explore how post-graduate students in a fully online business course used information communication technology during a virtual peer coaching experience. In this exploration of technology use it was found students required additional guidance in the use of technologies such as email, telephone calling, and more media rich tools such as Skype and Blackboard Collaborate during a virtual peer coaching session. They did not fully understand how to use these different mediums to guide and structure the coaching experience. They were frustrated by the lack of media richness when using tools with low levels of audio-visual connectivity. The findings suggest that the increasing use of technology in education does not necessarily mean that students will use it appropriately, even if they are adept at learning online or use the technology in their daily lives. Therefore, instructors cannot make assumptions about students' technological literacy even though these same students may appear to have a high level of competency learning online. Guidelines for using ICT in virtual peer coaching are provided as a result of this exploration.
Elementary School Counselors' Collaboration with Community Mental Health Providers
Author: Moran, Kristen
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mental Health,Health Services,School Counselors,Phenomenology,Elementary School Students,Counselor Attitudes,Cooperation,Interviews,School Community Relationship,Barriers,Counselor Educators,Counselor Role,Health Needs,Counselor Training,Qualitative Research

Perceptions and experiences of elementary school counselors' collaborative efforts with community mental health providers are examined through this exploratory phenomenological study. Ten participants engaged in two in-depth interviews. Collaboration was considered an effective way to increase services to students and their families. Six themes emerged: interactions in collaboration, commitment to collaboration, benefits of collaboration, components of effective collaboration, barriers to collaboration, and changes needed to collaboration. Implications for school counselors and counselor educators are discussed.
Comparing Student Assessments and Perceptions of Online and Face-to-Face Versions of an Introductory Linguistics Course
Author: Johnson, David
Date: 2015-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Introductory Courses,Linguistics,Conventional Instruction,Online Courses,Student Attitudes,Scores,Educational Assessment,Grades (Scholastic),Grade Point Average,Student Surveys,Learner Engagement,Comparative Analysis,Discussion (Teaching Technique),Time Management,Enrollment,Student Motivation,Undergraduate Students,Undergraduate Study

This article examines the issue of whether linguistics is better suited for a face-to-face (F2F) environment than an online teaching environment. Specifically, it examines assessment scores and student perceptions of the effectiveness of an introductory linguistics course at an undergraduate state university that has been taught multiple times in both online and F2F modes. To study this issue data was collected about the types of students enrolled in either version of the course, including their GPAs and course grades. A survey with both closed- and open-ended questions was also used to ask students about their experiences and perceptions of the two environments. Students responded to questions on factors such as procrastination, engagement with socially sensitive discussion topics, preferences for discussion modality, and motivations for course enrollment. Results of the data problematize the notion that linguistics (and perhaps other disciplines) is equally suited for an online and F2F environment since students fare better academically and engage more with the F2F linguistics course. Results also show that students with higher GPAs gravitate toward F2F classes. Regarding the course itself, convenience is the primary category that students consistently noted as a reason for selecting the online linguistics course versus its F2F counterpart. Even so, results do show some effectiveness in treating linguistic content online. Suggestions and strategies are offered to further strengthen online delivery of linguistic material to overcome some of the structural hurdles presented by student enrollment patterns and (dis)engagement.
Adopting MOOCs on Campus: A Collaborative Effort to Test MOOCs on Campuses of the University System of Maryland
Author: Griffiths, Rebecca
Date: 2015-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Online Courses,College Credits,Blended Learning,Statistical Analysis,Comparative Analysis,Qualitative Research,College Faculty,College Students,Case Studies,Pretests Posttests,Scores,Student Surveys,Costs,Interviews,Program Implementation,Instructional Improvement,Intellectual Property

To address the paucity of data on the use of MOOCs in &quot;traditional&quot; postsecondary institutions, Ithaka S+R and the University System of Maryland studied the feasibility of repurposing MOOCs for use in hybrid, credit-bearing courses. In this paper we will describe the design of a large-scale study undertaken to examine the use of MOOCs in fourteen campus-based courses, followed by two types of findings: First, we will share quantitative outcomes from students in hybrid sections, comparing students who took MOOCs with those who were taught in a traditional face-to-face manner; second, we will share qualitative findings on the opportunities and challenges presented by the use of MOOCs on campus. Finally, we will reflect on what would need to occur in order for these models to see widespread adoption in the future.
Is It Worth the Effort? The Impact of Incorporating Synchronous Lectures into an Online Course
Author: Olson, Joann S.
Date: 2015-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Online Courses,Lecture Method,Synchronous Communication,Academic Achievement,Psychological Patterns,Satisfaction,Case Studies,Videoconferencing,Undergraduate Students,Asynchronous Communication,Quasiexperimental Design

This study explores student achievement, sense of social community, and sense of learning community (Rovai, 2002) in two sections of an online course taught concurrently by the same instructor. One section was delivered in a fully asynchronous format; the other incorporated weekly synchronous lectures using an Adobe Connect environment. Students were randomly assigned to one of the two sections but allowed to change sections (before the semester began) if unwilling or unable to participate in weekly Adobe Connect meetings. Data included grades on course assignments, final course grades, end-of-course evaluations, and responses to the Classroom Community Inventory (Rovai, Wighting &amp; Lucking, 2004). No significant differences were found on measures of academic achievement, student satisfaction, social community, or learning community between the two sections.