ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Graduation Coaching in a Rural District School
Author: Zeller, Pamela J.
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Rural Schools,School Districts,Coaching (Performance),Academic Failure,At Risk Students,High School Students,Early Intervention,Developmental Studies Programs,Grade 9,Longitudinal Studies,Matched Groups,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Formative Evaluation,Qualitative Research,Case Records,Statistical Analysis,Academic Achievement,Program Effectiveness,Graduation,School Holding Power,School Guidance

The GEAR UP graduation coach intervention developed by the GEAR UP Learning Centers at Western Michigan University (WMU) addresses the issue of academic failure of at-risk students in high school. This personalized early intervention strategy begins by assessing students' unique circumstances, academic histories, and strengths and weaknesses in 9th grade. Coach and student work together, networking with parents and teachers, to establish a plan that will bolster academic achievement. Intensive graduation coaching identifies internal and external resources to ensure the student's success and closely monitors the student's progress. This intervention has been implemented successfully in two urban school settings and results indicated substantial benefits. This study examines a replication of this model in a rural school setting for one year with an incoming 9th grade class. The process involved several phases: program preparation and staff and student selection; implementing the coaching intervention and monitoring progress for informed, data-driven decision-making; and final summative evaluation. Two general questions were of particular research interest. Could students be identified proactively who are likely to benefit from this program? Did students selected as part of the coaching caseload improve their grades? A longitudinal, retrospective baseline study provided matched comparison groups for examining the effects of the intervention treatment. Results show that these graduation coached at-risk students as a group performed academically in core courses almost an entire letter grade better than would have anticipated based on comparative student results from baseline studies. Well over 50% of the treatment students, all of whom were predicted to fail, actually succeeded well enough to be prepared to progress to the next grade level. In this instance, graduation coaching appears to have significant potential in rural as well as urban school to promote student retention, success, and perseverance to graduation.
Transforming and Turning around Low-Performing Schools: The Role of Online Learning
Author: Corry, Michael
Date: 2014-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: School Turnaround,Low Achievement,Educational Change,Change Strategies,Online Courses,Electronic Learning,Literature Reviews,Elementary Secondary Education,Educational Opportunities,Student Motivation,Learner Engagement,Flexible Progression,Individualized Instruction,Educational Improvement,Curriculum Development,Educational Resources,Teaching Methods,Educational Indicators,Educational Innovation

This review of the literature examines online learning as a core strategy for bold, dramatic curricular reform within transformational or turnaround models in improving low-performing K-12 schools. The analysis of the literature in this area found benefits of online learning in transforming and turning around low-performing schools to include: (a) broadening access for all students and providing opportunities for students to recover course credit, (b) the potential to motivate and engage students due to the flexible and self-paced nature of online learning, and (c) providing highly individualized and differentiated environments allowing for personalized learning. As a number of schools and school districts move to online learning, it can be used not only as a curricular reform, but also as a tool to improve student achievement and turning around low-performing schools.
Online Instructor's Use of Audio Feedback to Increase Social Presence and Student Satisfaction
Author: Portolese Dias, Laura
Date: 2014-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Feedback (Response),Online Courses,Electronic Learning,Teaching Methods,Communication Strategies,Participant Satisfaction,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Intermode Differences,Teacher Effectiveness,Interaction,Undergraduate Students,Teacher Expectations of Students,Teacher Participation,Student Attitudes,Outcome Measures,Audiovisual Communications

This study investigates the impact of written group feedback, versus audio feedback, based upon four student satisfaction measures in the online classroom environment. Undergraduate students in the control group were provided both individual written feedback and group written feedback, while undergraduate students in the experimental treatment group were provided both individual written feedback and audio group feedback. Using a one-tailed t-test, the four student satisfaction measures were analyzed and one was found to be significant for students' perception that the instructor seemed genuinely concerned with whether students learned. The authors believe the study, when combined with their previous research, has significant impact on understanding strategies for improving instructor effectiveness with online students. Furthermore, the authors believe this area of student satisfaction resides primarily in positive perceptions of instructors' engagement and &quot;social presence.&quot; In addition, the authors believe the provision of audio feedback (either individual or group) to be more time efficient, while allowing for increased instructor creativity. Finally, the use of audio feedback may be perceived as more accessible or practical by the student, rather than written feedback alone.
Autonomy among Thieves: Template Course Design for Student and Faculty Success
Author: Huun, Kathleen
Date: 2014-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Online Courses,Nursing Education,College Faculty,Scoring Rubrics,Evaluation Methods,Information Management,Matrices,Surveys,Student Attitudes,Personal Autonomy,Professional Autonomy,Models,Design,Educational Technology,Teacher Attitudes,Program Effectiveness

Responding to a student-expressed need for consistency among courses within the online Baccalaureate Nursing Completion program at Midwestern University, an instructional designer and nursing faculty member collaborated to build a course evaluation rubric, learning management system template, and corresponding matrix to help support student learning and retention as well as faculty autonomy and creativity. This effort carefully aligned the ADDIE approach with Rogers' (2003) diffusion of innovation theory through frequent, meaningful communication with the nursing faculty and the interspersing of humor (thievery puns) to invigorate and inspire adoption. Beginning with the design of a rubric based on Quality Matters standards, the project evolved into a related template that demonstrated the application of the rubric concepts while incorporating faculty-developed content. Change architects then created a complementary matrix that outlined required, adaptable, or addable template elements to maintain consistency and sustain faculty autonomy. Survey results show promising improvements in both student perceptions of online course navigation and content and faculty perceptions of reduced workload and continued autonomy.
Comparison of Student and Instructor Perceptions of Social Presence
Author: Mathieson, Kathleen
Date: 2014-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Comparative Analysis,Online Courses,Teaching Methods,Interpersonal Relationship,Teacher Student Relationship,Social Influences,Educational Technology,Social Networks,Surveys,Statistical Analysis,Individual Characteristics,Computer Mediated Communication,Interaction

As enrollment in online courses continues to grow and online education is increasingly recognized as an established instructional mode, the unique challenges posed by this learning environment should be addressed. A primary challenge for virtual educators is developing social presence such that participants feel a sense of human connection with each other. Accomplishing this within learning management systems (LMS) that are often restrictive can be difficult. Prior research has established a relationship between student perceptions of social presence and satisfaction, but little research has included perceptions of instructors. This study compares student and instructor perceptions of social presence and the importance placed on social connections. While students and instructors reported high levels of social presence, students reported significantly lower levels than instructors. In particular, students found the LMS more impersonal than instructors and were less comfortable participating in LMS activities than instructors. Students had less desire for social connections with other students and instructors, and reported having less time available for such connections. Strategies to facilitate social presence, including offering social networking opportunities outside the LMS, are discussed in light of these differences in perceptions between students and instructors.
Examining Preservice EFL Teachers' TPACK Competencies in Turkey
Author: Ekrem, Solak
Date: 2014-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Preservice Teachers,Preservice Teacher Education,Teacher Competency Testing,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Technological Literacy,English Teacher Education,English (Second Language),Academic Achievement,Gender Differences,Knowledge Level,Student Surveys,Correlation,Likert Scales,Performance Factors

The purpose of the study was to understand the TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) competency of preservice English teachers and to determine whether there were any significant differences in terms of gender and academic achievement. This study was conducted at a state-run university and subjects were 137 preservice English teachers. The results of the research suggest that males' technological knowledge was higher than females; however, females were better than males in pedagogical knowledge. Moreover, no significant difference was found between TPACK mean and academic achievement in terms of the correlation between TPACK scale and academic achievement of the participants.
Putting the PLE into PLD: Virtual Professional Learning and Development
Author: Owen, Hazel
Date: 2014-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Technology,Online Courses,Faculty Development,Virtual Classrooms,Foreign Countries,Program Effectiveness,Communities of Practice,Learner Engagement,Teacher Improvement,Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Effectiveness,Self Efficacy,Simulated Environment,Mentors,Online Surveys,Case Studies,Elementary School Teachers,Secondary School Teachers

The range of affordances that a virtual environment offers can provide opportunities for more formal Professional Learning and Development (PLD) that has flexibility of choice, time and approach for educators. It was this potential that inspired the design of the Virtual Professional Learning and Development (VPLD) program that was instigated in October 2009 by the NZ Ministry of Education, who also funded the project. The findings from the pilot of the VPLD program in 2010 indicated that when professional learning was situated within the practitioner's context, and with complementary, easily-accessible opportunities for sharing of practice within an online Community of Practice, participants demonstrated high levels of engagement as well as changes in their own teaching practice. The VPLD Programme was facilitated and researched again during 2011, building on findings from 2010. Findings to date suggest that the educators developed a sense of self-efficacy that motivated them to trial alternative approaches, and to initiate iterative cycles of trial, error, and improvement.
The Gritty: Grit and Non-Traditional Doctoral Student Success
Author: Cross, Ted M.
Date: 2014-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Online Courses,Doctoral Programs,Graduate Students,Nontraditional Education,Academic Persistence,Student Attitudes,Student Characteristics,Goal Orientation,Scores,Grade Point Average,Nontraditional Students,Student Surveys,Statistical Analysis,Correlation

As higher education is changing to reach larger numbers of students via online modalities, the issue of student attrition and other measures of student success become increasingly important. While research has focused largely on undergraduate online students, less has been done in the area of online non-traditional doctoral student success, particularly from the student trait perspective. The concept of grit, passion and persistence for long-term goals, has been identified as an important element of the successful attainment of long-term goals. As doctoral education is a long-term goal the purpose of this study was to examine the impact of doctoral student grit scores on student success. Success was measured by examining current student GPA and other factors. Significant relationships were found between grit and current student GPA, grit and the average number of hours students spent on their program of study weekly, and grit and age. The results of this research may be important for informing how doctoral education is structured and how students might be better prepared for doctoral work.
Students&apos; Learning Behavior, Motivation and Critical Thinking in Learning Management Systems
Author: Wichadee, Saovapa
Date: 2014-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Mediated Communication,Integrated Learning Systems,Writing Skills,Critical Thinking,Student Motivation,Gender Differences,Electronic Learning,Undergraduate Students,English Instruction,Learning Processes,Statistical Analysis

Computer mediated communication (CMC) offers new opportunities for learners to create communities of inquiry that allow for more active learning. This paper reports on the use of a Learning Management System (LMS) as a tool to facilitate students&apos; writing and critical thinking skills. The primary data for the study came from students&apos; online learning records and from discussion forum postings in the LMS. It was found that students&apos; motivation to learn was at a high level. Most importantly, student motivation was positively correlated with their learning behavior. Although male and female students did not differ in their motivation and learning behavior, messages in the writing forum indicated that female students had higher critical thinking skills than male students. &quot;Explaining&quot; messages appeared the most often, while &quot;interpreting&quot; messages appeared the least. The process of text-based online discussion in the forum had the potential to enhance the students&apos; writing skills, encourage their critical thinking, and help them write more systematically. The practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Effect of Geographic Distance on Distance Education: An Empirical Study
Author: Luo, Heng
Date: 2014-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Distance Education,Geographic Location,Proximity,Masters Programs,Geographic Information Systems,Computation,Place of Residence,Multiple Regression Analysis,Prediction,Online Courses,Academic Achievement,Satisfaction,Time to Degree,Student Characteristics,Age Differences,Gender Differences,Student Experience,Self Control,Grade Point Average,Correlation,Predictor Variables,Hypothesis Testing

This study investigates the effect of geographic distance on students' distance learning experience with the aim to provide tentative answers to a fundamental question--does geographic distance matter in distance education? Using educational outcome data collected from an online master's program in Geographic Information Systems, this study calculates the distance between students' residences and the program location, and employs three hierarchical multiple regression models to examine how well geographic distance can predict a student's online learning performance, satisfaction with the program, and length of time to complete, when controlling for other relevant factors. Our research findings provide empirical evidence to support the claim that the development of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has in fact overcome the potential barriers that may be associated with distance in education and has provided an effective bridge between students and educational programs. The study also reveals interesting discoveries regarding the relationship between students' distance learning experience and certain student characteristics such as age, gender, and previous academic achievement.
Self-Regulated Learning Skills and Online Activities between Higher and Lower Performers on a Web-Intensive Undergraduate Engineering Course
Author: Lawanto, Oenardi
Date: 2017-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Learning Strategies,Self Control,Web Based Instruction,Learner Engagement,Online Courses,High Achievement,Low Achievement,Engineering Education,Performance,Reflection,Computer Mediated Communication,Laboratories,Computer Software,Questionnaires,Management Information Systems,Goal Orientation,Assignments,Student Motivation,Thinking Skills,Metacognition,Likert Scales,Time Management,Self Evaluation (Individuals),Documentation,Statistical Analysis,Help Seeking

The objective of this study was to evaluate students' self-regulated learning (SRL) skills used in a Web-intensive learning environment. The research question guiding the study was: How did the use of student SRL skills and student engagement in online activities compare between higher- and lower-performing students participating in a Web-intensive engineering course? Specific focus was given to exploring how higher- and lower-performing students' forethought, performance control, and self-reflection as well as how their online activities differed. In this study, a Web-intensive course was defined as a unique online learning environment where lectures are broadcasted through Web conferencing software while students participate in the lectures from a computer laboratory, facilitated by teaching assistants. Fifty-seven valid data sets were analyzed from questionnaire, data logs provided by a learning management system, ranking questions, and project performance. The findings suggest that higher performers outperformed lower performers significantly on goal setting. On the other hand, lower performers reported a significant higher score on task strategies than their higher-performing peers. Regarding students' online activities, higher performers accessed all course materials significantly more frequently than lower performers. Furthermore, when evaluating the promptness of assignment submission, the results found the higher performers showed that they were significantly more prompt than lower performers in submitting their assignments. This article also outlines suggestions for further research in the Web-intensive course
Unlearning the Past: New Foundations for Online Student Retention
Author: Sutton, Roy
Date: 2014-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Online Courses,Academic Persistence,Doctoral Programs,Graduate Students,Educational Administration,Best Practices,Adult Learning,Private Colleges,Writing Assignments,Writing Evaluation,Distance Education,Technology Uses in Education,Literature Reviews,Qualitative Research,Social Integration,Communities of Practice,Student Financial Aid,Employment Level,Social Influences,Cultural Influences,Access to Education,Learning Theories,Motivation,Difficulty Level,Cognitive Processes,College Faculty,Faculty Advisers,Reflection,Evaluation Methods,Program Effectiveness

Many factors affect students selecting a university to attend and almost as many factors that can present challenges once they enroll and begin attending classes. Once they start taking courses, the next challenge is completing them, and this can be particularly taxing for online students. In the case of online universities, quality assessment criteria of the online courses and faculty may vary. Thus, it is important not only to get feedback from students, but also to look at course completion rates. The purpose of this paper is to share lessons learned regarding factors that significantly increased student online course completion rates at one online for-profit university. This study looked at a researcher's search for strategic factors that considerably increase course completion rates and identified assessment strategies to improve those course completion rates. The researcher's collaboration with researchers from another university led to findings that revealed best practices and assessments factors successfully applied in online courses. Administrative changes at the researcher's university led to retention efforts that have positively affected student retention. One major factor observed by the researcher included analytical writing assessments and their predictive value for doctoral student retention. Results of the implementation of the changes at the researcher's university included a 39% increase in retention of first year doctoral candidates, from a low of 39% in 2011 to 75% in 2012.
The Temporal Perspective in Higher Education Learners: Comparisons between Online and Onsite Learning
Author: Romero, Margarida
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Classroom Environment,Higher Education,Preferences,College Students,Foreign Countries,Time Perspective,Comparative Analysis,Measures (Individuals),Statistical Analysis

Higher Education increases flexibility with online learning solutions. Nevertheless, dropout rates in online university are large. Among the reasons, one aspect deserving further study is students' Time Perspective (TP), which has been studied in onsite HE. It is necessary to know the TP profile of the growing population of online students, and consider its relation with students' preference and convenience factors for choosing online or onsite contexts. In this study, learners' TP in an online and an onsite Catalan HE institutions are compared. Results show that HE students present a high future orientation in general, while online students showed a higher orientation to past negativism. Basic guides are given to help institutions and students in the choice of the better suited learning context according to their TP.