ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Public-Private Partnerships, Accountability, and Competition: Theory versus Reality in the Charter Schools of Bogotá, Colombia
Author: Edwards, Brent, Jr.
Date: 2017-02-13
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Charter Schools,Partnerships in Education,Accountability,Competition,School Choice,Politics of Education,Educational Policy,Interviews

While charter schools are among the most prevalent public-private partnerships in the education sector, they are frequently only assessed by measuring outputs such as enrollment and test scores. In contrast, this article assesses the logic model behind charter schools, specifically the mechanisms of accountability and competition, through a study of the Concession Schools in Bogotá, Colombia, using a realist evaluation methodology. Despite the program's success in increasing access in marginalized areas, findings indicate that accountability and competition were hindered in practice--because of insufficient choice for parents and other unique organizational and political factors. For example, particular issues emerged that influenced the availability of viable charter operators to open and manage schools while political orientations, political shifts, and evaluation design issues affected the charter authorizer's ability to monitor, assess, and hold charters accountable. Successfully operationalizing public-private partnerships requires that the mechanisms underlying each link in the policy theory are carefully designed and supported, that they directly connect, and that the functioning of one does not adversely impact the others--a difficult task given the dynamic and sensitive nature of such mechanisms and the imperfect world of educational reform. The article concludes by reflecting on a number of issues, including charter school exit from the market, the need for accountability of charter authorizers themselves, the increasing political clout of charter management organizations and their allies, and the ways that these actors circumvent or avoid public accountability.
Linking TIMSS and NAEP Assessments to Evaluate International Trends in Achievement
Author: Lim, Hwanggyu
Date: 2017-02-13
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Achievement Tests,Mathematics Achievement,Mathematics Tests,International Assessment,National Competency Tests,Educational Trends,Grade 8,Equated Scores,Foreign Countries

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) makes it possible to compare the performance of students in the US in Mathematics and Science to the performance of students in other countries. TIMSS uses four international benchmarks for describing student achievement: Low, Intermediate, High, and Advanced. In this study, we linked the eighth-grade Math TIMSS and NAEP scales using equipercentile equating to (a) help better interpret U.S. eighth-grade students' performance on TIMSS, and (b) investigate the progress of eighth-grade U.S. students over time relative to the progress of students in other countries. Results indicated that relative to other countries, U.S. eighth-grade students increased with respect to the &quot;At or Above Basic&quot; NAEP Achievement level, but that other countries saw larger improvements in the higher achievement level categories, relative to the US. This finding may reflect the emphasis of No Child Left Behind on raising lower achievement to &quot;proficient.&quot; However, with respect to &quot;Advanced&quot; mathematics achievement, eighth-grade U.S. students showed less improvement than students in other countries.
Impact of Internal Population Movements on the Schooling Process in Turkey: Supervisors' Views
Author: Akar, Hanife
Date: 2017-02-20
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Migration,Elementary Schools,Administrator Attitudes,Administrator Surveys,Supervisors,Poverty,Educational Facilities,Educational Resources,School Administration,School Culture,Educational Environment,Enrollment,Faculty Mobility,Teaching Experience,Teacher Qualifications,Teacher Competencies,Faculty Development,Teaching Conditions,Teacher Shortage,Rural Schools,Adjustment (to Environment),Discipline,Student Behavior,Student Characteristics,Family Characteristics,Student Adjustment,Attendance,Parent School Relationship,Curriculum Implementation

This study attempted to examine the impact of interregional and urban--rural population movements on schools located in areas subjected to high in-migration and outmigration flows in Turkey based on data collected from primary school supervisors (N = 150). A cross-sectional survey design was utilized to examine the most pressing problems confronted in those schools, and possible actions that could be taken by various stakeholders were sought. Overall data suggest that those schools serve mostly disadvantaged populations with poor households. Among the main challenges revealed are lack of adequate school resources and poor facilities, problems caused due to ineffective and untimely implementation of the program, high personnel turnover and recruitment of largely inexperienced and relatively less qualified educational staff, and lower levels of parental involvement in children's schooling. Accordingly, proposed recommendations focused on measures to eliminate capacity and resource constraints, improve hiring practices, and secure adequate supervision and support for educational staff, meet academic and socio-emotional needs of students and facilitate parental involvement in the education of children.
Experiences of Middle-Level Students, Teachers, and Parents in the Do the Write Thing Violence Prevention Program
Author: Peterson, Sarah E.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Middle School Students,Middle School Teachers,Parents,Violence,Prevention,Mixed Methods Research,Surveys,Focus Groups,Program Effectiveness,Interpersonal Competence,Likert Scales,Essays,Student Motivation

We examined experiences of participants in &quot;Do the Write Thing&quot; national violence prevention program for middle-level students. Using mixed methods, we conducted surveys and focus groups with students, parents, and teachers who attended the program's National Recognition Week in Washington, DC. Results revealed important affective, behavioral, and cognitive impacts on participants, including improved relationships, increased understanding of violence, and commitment to reduce violence. Participants from cities where insufficient time and resources were devoted to the project did not experience significant change. Teachers reported developing greater empathy for their students and making substantial changes in their teaching, providing support for students and infusing activities addressing violence into their curriculum. Recommendations are made for increased program support and future research.
Using Variable Interval Reinforcement Schedules to Support Students in the Classroom: An Introduction with Illustrative Examples
Author: Hulac, David
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Classroom Techniques,Predictor Variables,Reinforcement,Intervals,Scheduling,Student Behavior,Positive Behavior Supports,Educational Practices,Program Implementation

When behaviors are reinforced with a variable interval reinforcement schedule, reinforcement is available only after an unknown period of time. These types of reinforcement schedules are most useful for reinforcing slow and steady responding and for differentially reinforcing behaviors that are incompatible with some problematic behaviors. This review helps define variable interval reinforcement schedules, uses the example of a strategy to manage thumb-sucking behavior to illustrate the implementation of these schedules, and describes potential applications in school and clinical settings.
Teaching Preschoolers to Self-Assess Their Choices in Pre-K
Author: Warash, Bobbie Gibson
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preschool Children,Young Children,Self Evaluation (Individuals),Developmentally Appropriate Practices,Active Learning,Early Childhood Education,Educational Strategies,Play,Photography,Goal Orientation,Scoring Rubrics,Teaching Methods

Young children have the capability of making decisions, informed choices, and self-assessing their progress on their choices. In this classroom of 4- and 5-year-olds, children used pictorial contracts, rubrics, and various self-assessment techniques as a method for continuous learning. Gathering and reflecting on their own evidence about their accomplishments created a reflective loop by which the child evaluated their work, made revisions and ultimately applied the criteria to other conditions. Children in this prekindergarten classroom learned to reflect on their own knowledge. It is not only intrinsically motivating but offers young children a systematic approach to further their involvement in their learning in a developmentally appropriate and engaging environment.
Effect of Vocabulary Test Preparation on Low-Income Black Middle School Students' Reading Scores
Author: Mitchell, Ingrid
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Test Preparation,Vocabulary,Low Income Students,Middle School Students,Reading Achievement,Scores,Standardized Tests,Test Wiseness,Grade 6,Grade 7,Grade 8,Cohort Analysis,Vocabulary Skills,Achievement Gains,Comparative Analysis,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Correlation,Pretests Posttests,African American Students,Program Effectiveness,Outcomes of Education,Statistical Analysis

Black middle school students in the United States continue to perform poorly on standardized reading achievement tests in comparison to other racial and ethnic groups. The purpose of this research study was to examine the effectiveness of a vocabulary-focused test preparation program for Black middle school students. The theoretical framework consisted of Thorndike's concept of test-wiseness, a test-taking capacity. Teachers at the research site were trained on Larry Bell's 12 Powerful Words strategy that aims to make students test-wise, that is, to familiarize them with key vocabulary terms related to tests. An intact-group comparison was conducted, involving a total of N = 679 Black students in Grades 6, 7, and 8 with 370 girls and 309 boys. An analysis of covariance showed significant effects for Grade 6, marginally significant effects for Grade 7, and nonsignificant effects for Grade 8. These findings suggest that the 12 Powerful Words are effective and that their effect decreases with students' age. As a practical consequence, instructional leaders will be able to make more informed decisions regarding test preparation and potentially reduce the number of underperforming students in classrooms.
A Qualitative Study of Gender Issues Associated with Academic Mentoring in a Nigerian University
Author: Osezua, Oghoadena Clementina
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Qualitative Research,Gender Issues,Mentors,Females,Educational Opportunities,Barriers,Graduate Students,Performance Factors,Academic Achievement,Womens Education

There is an upsurge in the establishment of private and public universities in Nigeria. The development has opened up the need for quality and seasoned academics, but minimal opportunities exist for mentoring of young academics. This article explores the mentoring opportunities and challenges of young female academics faced in a male dominant university system. From an exploratory qualitative design, this article generates empirical evidence through structured a face-to-face interview with purposively selected 36 female academics. The participants were recruited from the Obafemi Awolowo University, a first-generation, public-owned university in Nigeria. A thematic analysis of the data revealed common challenges in mentoring female academics as inadequate and non-availability of older female role models for upcoming female academics. Other factors include fear of being stigmatized by other colleagues when a female has a male as an academic model, unfriendly gender policies, and work environment that will not cater for women's needs (especially those in their reproductive age). Based on these findings, the article calls for more formal mentoring relationship for younger women academics. Such step will create a sense of purpose and provide requisite information that will enhance their career progression.
Profiling Vocabulary in Psychology Journal Abstracts: A Comparison between Iranian and Anglo-American Journals
Author: Akbarian, Is'haaq
Date: 2017-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Profiles,Vocabulary Development,Periodicals,Teaching Methods,Word Lists,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Indo European Languages,Computer Software,Psychology,Computational Linguistics,English for Academic Purposes,Documentation,Comparative Analysis,Language Usage

Lexical profiling has yielded fruitful results for language description and pedagogy (Liu, 2014), and particularly highlighted the significance of academic vocabulary for EFL learners in this process. This investigation, likewise, attempts to comparatively profile the vocabulary, more particularly the academic vocabulary, in the &quot;abstract&quot; section of scholarly articles in Iranian and Anglo-American refereed journals in psychology. Iranian journals under study publish articles in Persian but also include an English abstract whereas the latter publish papers in English. For this purpose, a corpus (consisting of 307,126 words), with two sub-corpora of almost similar size and characteristics, was collected from Iranian and Anglo-American journals and analyzed through the software Range. The analyses conducted show a coverage of over 15 percent and the use of over 500 words of the Academic Word List (AWL) in both Iranian and Anglo-American sub-corpora. However, there are variations in academic and nonacademic vocabulary use in abstracts across the two sub-corpora above. Most of the academic words used belong to the beginning AWL sub-lists. Pedagogical implications are made for reading and writing, particularly in EAP contexts.
Professional Self-Esteem as a Predictor of Teacher Burnout across Iranian and Turkish EFL Teachers
Author: Khezerlou, Ebrahim
Date: 2017-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Self Esteem,Professional Identity,Teacher Burnout,Emotional Response,Achievement,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Language Teachers,Burnout,Measures (Individuals),Satisfaction,Knowledge Level,Persistence,Adjustment (to Environment),Interpersonal Communication,Correlation,Predictor Variables,Secondary School Teachers,Questionnaires,Likert Scales

The study aimed at measuring the perceived Professional Self-esteem, Emotional Exhaustion (EE), Depersonalization (DP), and Personal Accomplishment (PA) of Iranian (n = 230) and Turkish (n = 156) EFL teachers and determining the prediction role of Professional Self-esteem in EE, DP, and PA processes. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey (MBI-ES) was used to measure the perceived burnout levels of the participants, and a shortened English version of Professional Self-esteem Scale developed by Aricak (1999) was employed to measure the participants' self-esteem perceptions in five dimensions of &quot;satisfaction,&quot; &quot;knowledge development,&quot; &quot;commitment,&quot; &quot;adaptation&quot; and &quot;communication.&quot; The internal reliability of the professional self-esteem scale was r = 0.821. The results revealed that professional self-esteem was strongly correlated with EE, DP, and PA burnout. They also showed that EE, DP, and PA processes were better predicted by Satisfaction, Commitment, and Knowledge Development dimensions of Professional Self-esteem in the case of both Iranian and Turkish teachers, respectively. Moreover, the EE and PA prediction variances of Iranian group were greater than that of Turkish group, whereas the DP prediction variance of Turkish group was greater than that of Iranian group. The study highlights the significance of professional self-esteem in education and offers strategies for teachers and authorities to combat burnout for better teacher productivity.
A Narrative Study of Iranian EFL Teachers' Experiences of Doing Action Research
Author: Mehrani, Mehdi B.
Date: 2017-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Language Teachers,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Teaching Experience,Action Research,Teacher Researchers,Teacher Surveys,Essays,Semi Structured Interviews,Teacher Attitudes,Data Analysis,Teaching Skills,Skill Development,Reflective Teaching,Teacher Empowerment,Student Needs,Time Management,Knowledge Level,Barriers,Pedagogical Content Knowledge

The present narrative study examined the purposes that language teachers pursue in their research studies. The study also explored the opportunities and challenges that teachers experience while doing action research. Data were collected through a survey of narrative frames among 68 teachers, reflective essays written by 9 teachers and individual interviews with 12 other teachers. Analyzing the content of the data and sorting out the main themes showed that teachers are mainly concerned with practical aspects of their profession such as developing their teaching skills and improving students' knowledge in particular language areas. In addition, teachers believe that action research broadens their understanding of language education, provides them with a framework for reflecting on their practice, empowers them to play more important roles in educational systems and heightens their awareness of students' needs. The findings also point to teachers' consensus that their time limitations, their lack of specialized knowledge of research, administrative restrictions and lack of collaboration are among the main challenges they experience when undertaking action research. The study concludes with the discussion of the broader implications of the study for promoting action research in language teaching profession.
The Dynamic Interplay among EFL Learners' Ambiguity Tolerance, Adaptability, Cultural Intelligence, Learning Approach, and Language Achievement
Author: Alahdadi, Shadi
Date: 2017-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cultural Awareness,Cognitive Style,Translation,Language Teachers,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Undergraduate Students,Graduate Students,Models,Questionnaires,Ambiguity (Semantics),Structural Equation Models,Metacognition,Emotional Intelligence,Correlation,Measures (Individuals),Predictor Variables,Foreign Countries,College Students,Learning Strategies,Grade Point Average,Statistical Analysis,Likert Scales

A key objective of education is to prepare individuals to be fully-functioning learners. This entails developing the cognitive, metacognitive, motivational, cultural, and emotional competencies. The present study aimed to examine the interrelationships among adaptability, tolerance of ambiguity, cultural intelligence, learning approach, and language achievement as manifestations of the above competencies within a single model. The participants comprised one hundred eighty BA and MA Iranian university students studying English language teaching and translation. The instruments used in this study consisted of the translated versions of four questionnaires: second language tolerance of ambiguity scale, adaptability taken from emotional intelligence inventory, cultural intelligence (CQ) inventory, and the revised study process questionnaire measuring surface and deep learning. The results estimated via structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that the proposed model containing the variables under study had a good fit with the data. It was found that all the variables except adaptability directly influenced language achievement with deep approach having the highest impact and ambiguity tolerance having the lowest influence. In addition, ambiguity tolerance was a positive and significant predictor of deep approach. CQ was found to be under the influence of both ambiguity tolerance and adaptability. The findings were discussed in the light of the yielded results.
Are Scientists Objective? An Investigation of Appraisal Resources in English Popular Science Articles
Author: Babaii, Esmat
Date: 2017-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Scientific Research,Science Experiments,Periodicals,Research Reports,Scientists,Nutrition,English for Academic Purposes,Audiences,Expectation,Public Opinion,Academic Discourse,Authors,Discourse Analysis,Theories

With the increasingly growing technological advances and their consequences for societies, the public has the right to be engaged in the outcomes of science. On the one hand, the public are interested in acquiring information about the results of scientists' experiments. On the other hand, the scientists are willing to share their feelings about their discoveries with the public in order to achieve wider audience. These all have prompted popularizing of science within the last few decades. The current study aimed to explore the frequency of evaluative resources of Appraisal in English popular science articles (PSAs hereafter) in the field of Nutrition. A total of 40 English popularized articles published in four popular sources, &quot;WebMD,&quot; &quot;Better Nutrition,&quot; &quot;Science Daily,&quot; and &quot;New York Times,&quot; were analyzed in terms of three main categories and subcategories of Appraisal Theory. The results of the analysis revealed that authors used more Attitude resources followed by Graduation and Engagement resources. With regard to subcategories of three main categories, the authors of English PSAs included more cases of&quot; appreciation,&quot; &quot;force,&quot; and &quot;heterogloss&quot; resources. The findings indicated that the authors of PSAs tend to insert their feelings about their discoveries through employing Appraisal resources. The results might be used to embed Appraisal resources in EAP materials in order to equip the would-be scientists with a helpful tool to meet the expectations of another group of their intended audience, i.e. general public, in addition to fulfilling the requirements of their academic discourse community.
The Causal Effects of Cultural Relevance: Evidence from an Ethnic Studies Curriculum
Author: Dee, Thomas S.
Date: 2017-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Attribution Theory,Cultural Relevance,At Risk Students,Teaching Methods,Minority Group Students,Ethnic Studies,Culturally Relevant Education,Grade Point Average,College Credits,Regression (Statistics),Grade 8,Grade 9,Attendance,School Districts

An extensive theoretical and qualitative literature stresses the promise of instructional practices and content aligned with minority students' experiences. Ethnic studies courses provide an example of such &quot;culturally relevant pedagogy&quot; (CRP). Despite theoretical support, quantitative evidence on the effectiveness of these courses is limited. We estimate the causal effects of an ethnic studies curriculum, using a &quot;fuzzy&quot; regression discontinuity design based on the fact that several schools assigned students with eighth-grade GPAs below a threshold to take the course. Assignment to this course increased ninth-grade attendance by 21 percentage points, GPA by 1.4 grade points, and credits earned by 23. These surprisingly large effects suggest that CRP, when implemented in a high-fidelity context, can provide effective support to at-risk students.