Digital Commons Network^™

Big Data Ethics In Education: Connecting Practices And Ethical Awareness, Xiaojun Chen, Chen Ying Liu

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

The purpose of this paper is to discuss big data ethics in education. To achieve this goal, this paper first discusses big data from its origin, and then discusses big data ethics from its philosophical perspectives of cyberethics and the emphasis on privacy issues in using big data in researching and teaching. Cases, policies, and code of conduct regarding big data and privacy are discussed with ethical considerations from data ownership and privacy, as well as instructor and learner responsibilities perspectives. Key privacy preserving data mining techniques are also discussed, and the authors recommend using a hybrid approach to address …

Increasing Student Achievement Through Supporting English Language Learners, Michelle George

Dissertations

The purpose of this advocacy document is to demonstrate the need for a policy to implement a two-way immersion program in Spanish and English. The intent of this policy is to provide opportunities for students to be successful in a global society, acquire a second language, and develop a strong global awareness. This advocacy document includes an analysis of the educational, economic, social, political, moral, and ethical need for the policy change. The primary needs addressed through research are the ability to implement strong instructional practices of language development for English as a Second Language (ESL) student and to develop …

Investing In Teachers

Adeola Capel

Policy Analysis And Trauma Informed Care, Darlene Mack

Darlene Mack

Perspective: Influencing Systemic Change, Lilliam Lowery, Ed. D.

Leadership Hour at Otterbein University

Dr. Lowery comes to FutureReady Columbus from the Maryland State Department of Education, where she served as state superintendent of schools. Under her leadership, Maryland has consistently finished among the nation’s top performing state school systems, according to Education Week’s Quality Counts, the most comprehensive assessment of the state of American education.

Pennsylvania School Solicitors’ Guidance On How School Officials Should Respond When Regulating Off-Campus Student Expression, Scott Thomas Eveslage

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study was to gather and analyze the perspectives of Pennsylvania school solicitors in Montgomery and Bucks Counties about how school officials should assess their regulatory authority of off-campus student online expression. With the rise in students online communication, the increasing and changing role of the school administrator, and the lack of a Supreme Court ruling on the matter, guidance and clarity for how school officials should proceed is blurry. Case law used as precedent to guide decision making has been inconsistent, with variations based on geographic region and the trends in that particular Circuit Court of …

Leadership Opportunities In Education For Individuals With Disabilities, Sean Daniel Kinder

Administrative Issues Journal

This study examines the perceptions of individuals with disabilities concerning employment opportunities as administrative leaders in public school contexts. A discussion of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as well as the definition of what is considered a legal disability, as provided in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Additionally, this piece explains Critical Disability Theory as a theoretical lens that provides perspective and highlights the methods used in the data collection process. It reports preliminary findings and concludes with a discussion of why this educational issue is of significance.

Defending Liberal Education: Implications For Educational Policy, Christopher W. Lyons

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis advocates for the inclusion of liberal education in discussions of the college and university missions and mandates in North America. It is conceived with the purpose of influencing policy thinking and generating the theory and ideas required for sound education policy decision making. Research into liberal education is a special and atypical kind of inquiry and requires innovative theoretical approaches. Liberal education is foremost a philosophical problem and requires philosophical approaches. The method used is, therefore, conceptual in nature and drawn from analytical philosophy.

My research approaches liberal education conceptually in three ways: historically, philosophically, and politically. Historically, …

A Family And Community Variable Prediction Model For Nj Ask Mathematics Sixth And Seventh Grade Assessments Results: The Impact On School Evaluation, Kevin R. Mccahill

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the predictive accuracy of family and community demographic variables found in the U.S. Census data on the percentage of students at the school level who scored Proficient or above on the NJ ASK 6 and 7 Mathematics section when controlling for teacher mobility and level of teacher education. Analysis included simultaneous multiple linear regression and hierarchical linear regression. This study looked at 100% of the New Jersey school districts with complete sets of 2010 NJ ASK 6 and 7 data and 2010 census data and tested at least 25 students in each grade level. Only schools servicing …

Population-Level Approaches To Increasing Mental Health And Wellbeing In Schools: Kidsmatter And Mindmatters, Katherine Dix

Dr Katherine Dix

Legal And Ethical Considerations For Social Media Hiring Practices In The Workplace, Andrew S. Hazelton, Ashley Terhorst

The Hilltop Review

Social media has certainly evolved and continues to do so with each new day. Social media in its infancy was not as widespread in the personal lives of people, let alone in the workplace. In the following years since its inception, social media has captured a significant amount of time of individuals in every aspect of their lives. However, with this advancement also comes possible conflict in how companies and departments within a university or college setting conduct background checks. Social media makes public profiles an easy click away and many potential job seekers may not see the problems that …

Good Practice Guides: Students, Institutions And Employers, Chris Ziguras, Jo Doyle, Cate Gribble, Racquel Shroff

Jo Doyle

An Embedded Case Study Of The Proposed Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Statute & The Proposed Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Statute, James Vines

All Dissertations

The purpose of this explanatory, embedded case study was to understand why the proposed Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention statute and the Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment statute did not passed. The data for the study was conducted through direct observations of congressional committee hearings, document analysis and open-ended interviews. The proposed Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention statute addresses cyberbullying by imposing criminal sanctions. The proposed Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Statute seeks to provide federal grants to institutions of higher education to implement anti-harassment programs. The findings revealed that vague terminology, language dealing with LGBT people and sexual orientation as well …

The Effects Of An Evidence-Based Food Allergy Management Plan To Keep Children With Food Allergies Safe At School, Scarlet R. Spain

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

The prevalence of food allergies in children has increased 18% between 1997 and 2007 (CDC, 2013). Furthermore, 84% of food allergic children will experience a reaction at school (Powers, Bergren, & Finnegan, 2007). An exposure in a sensitive child may progress quickly into potentially life threatening symptoms and death if not treated. The purpose of this evidence based practice (EBP) project was to determine if implementation of a food allergy management policy in a school setting reduced overall incidence rates of food allergy reactions in school children and to examine compliance to policy guidelines. The project encompassed implementation of a …

Student Perceptions Of Institutional Crisis Management, Preparedness, And Response: The Case Of The Active Shooter, Jared Allen Grimsley

Masters Theses

Institutional crisis management is becoming more relevant with every passing tragedy and crisis event. This study utilized a modified existing survey to collect quantitative data from students attending a large four-year public research institution located in the Southeastern region of the United States. A stratified random sample of commuter students and non-commuter students was analyzed to compare statistical similarities and differences between the groups. The largest group of student respondents were full-time, freshmen, female, involved, and currently live on campus. Students perceived their institutions to be moderately prepared to respond to both general crises and active shooting situations, although a …

Common Core State Standards: Analysis And Policy Proposal, Savannah Rae Dabney

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Senator George J. Mitchell Lecture On Sustainability, Senator George J. Mitchell Center For Sustainability Solutions

Cultural Affairs Distinguished Lecture Series

On Thursday, October 15, 2015 the Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions will host the 2015 Senator George J. Mitchell Lecture on Sustainability. This event is free and open to all. It will take place at 1pm at Wells Conference Center on the University of Maine campus. Roger A. Pielke, Jr., a key thought leader on effective roles for scientists in political debates and the formulation of public policy, will be the keynote speaker. Senator Mitchell will provide remarks.

The central mission of the Mitchell Center is to serve as a leader and valued partner in understanding and …

U.S. School Quality: The Public Benefits Of Primary And Secondary Education, Anita P. Yadavalli

Open Access Dissertations

Three essays focus on the various measurements of school quality and its importance in motivating people's location choices, their interest in school improvement, and their ability to fund additional school expenditures. The first essay examines hedonic housing price studies to dissect the mixed evidence on whether school quality affects housing prices. The chapter employs meta-regression analysis on 48 studies and finds that studies which measured school quality using any of eight measures, including educational expenditures, tend to find a positive correlation with housing prices. Additionally, published studies tend to find a higher correlation than unpublished studies. The second essay aims …

From Forgotten To Fought Over: Neoliberal Restructuring, Public Schools, And Urban Space, U. Aggarwal, Edwin Mayorga

Educational Studies Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

A Democracy, If We Can Keep It: Democratic Engagement Policy In Higher Education, Maegan Gorham

Theses and Dissertations

Students will be called upon as American citizens to be knowledgeable, engaged, contributing citizens, and higher education plays a part in the development of this role. Engagement must surpass simple volunteerism in order to more fully realize the potential benefit of democracy and democratic engagement activities. In turn, institutions must respond effectively and responsibly, making informed decisions about educating all students in the safest manner possible. This exploratory policy analysis, with embedded legal research, explores the policy issue, "Is higher education the appropriate venue for instruction on democratic engagement and, if so, do the benefits and rewards of instruction on …

Policy Making In The Middle: Developing And Implementing Departmental And Institutional Policies, Dr. Alzada Tipton

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

When it comes to departmental and institutional policies, department chairs frequently find themselves literally in the middle, tasked with implementing institutional policies coming from above and obligated to develop departmental policies that are needed for the department below. These policies can concern themselves with an almost unlimited range of topics, including curriculum and faculty issues, problems involving academic dishonesty and student complaints, and institutional initiatives such as cost savings and compliance directives. Department chairs can find themselves having to lead a reluctant department into implementing an institutional policy not of their own making, or they can find themselves having to …

Parents And The Common Core State Standards For Mathematics, Rebecca Anne Roberts

Theses and Dissertations

As the majority of the nation has adopted Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM), studying parents' resistance to these standards becomes vital in improving parental involvement and support of school mathematics reforms. Using Schoenfeld's (2011) model for decision making as a framework, an online survey and six interviews were conducted. The results of the survey showed that parents' resources related to student experiences and the mathematical methods students are performing are affecting their resistance toward CCSSM. The survey results also showed that parents' orientations related to the difficulty of the standards and politics affects their resistance toward CCSSM. The …

Illinois Teacher Evaluation Student Growth Component: A Predecision-Making Policy Analysis, Joshua Robert Olsen

Theses and Dissertations

ILLINOIS TEACHER EVALUATION STUDENT GROWTH COMPONENT:

A PREDECISION-MAKING POLICY ANALYSIS

Joshua R. Olsen

122 Pages May 2015

Public school districts in Illinois are going to face massive changes to their evaluation systems in the coming years. Thanks to the adoption of the Performance Evaluation Reform Act of 2010 and Senate Bill 7 of 2011, teacher evaluation must contain student growth as a significant factor, beginning with the 2016-2017 school year. Not only must student performance on tests become part of the evaluation of teachers, but, moreover, teacher evaluation will play a greater role in the hiring, retention, and release of …

School Policies, Leadership, And Learning With Technologies : An International Comparative Study, Kathryn Moyle

Professor Kathryn Moyle (consultant)

Little research has been conducted into the links or intersections between school leadership, teaching and learning with technologies, and the quality of students' outcomes at school. While it is recognised that principals hold a central position in leading schools pedagogical and administrative practices, little is known about what is the role of the school principal in implementing policies that are aimed at improving the quality of teaching and learning in schools, or to achieve smart student learning outcomes. These issues are examined in this paper by reviewing and analysing national school education policies from Singapore, Finland and Hong Kong: countries …

Experiences Of Computer Science Curriculum Design: A Phenomenological Study, Art Sloan, Brian Bowe

Articles

This paper presents a qualitative study of twelve computer science lecturers’ experiences of curriculum design of several degree programmes during a time of transition from year-long to semesterised courses, due to institutional policy change. The background to the study is outlined, as are the reasons for choosing the research methodology. The main findings are presented and the implications of the study described. The methodology chosen was hermeneutic phenomenology. The data were the texts of interview transcripts of the twelve participant lecturers. The experiences that emerged from analysis of the data grouped naturally in identifiable and presentable themes and these themes …

A Review Of The Major School Counseling Policy Studies In The United States: 2000-2014, Jay Carey, Ian Martin

Research Reports and Monologues

Jay Carey and Ian Martin conducted a review of the major policy studies concerning school counseling in the United States. The authors located 37 documents disseminated between 2000 and 2014 that were either intentionally written with a focus on policy implications or were frequently used to attempt to influence policy decision-making. Their review is organized by types of policy studies: Literature Reviews, Survey Research, Statewide Evaluations of School Counseling Programs, State Evaluations of School Counseling Practice, Existing Database Investigations of School Counseling, Research Identifying Elements of Exemplary Practice, Studies of Evaluation Capacity and Practices in School Counseling.

Prekindergarten Policy And Politics: Discursive (Inter)Play On Readying The Ideal Learner, Angela Passero, Carrie Gentner, Vonzell Agosto

Vonzell Agosto

This study uses assemblage policy as the theoretical framework and is situated amid concerns about neoliberal influences on policy negotiations concerning prekindergarten/ers. Key, exemplary, and authoritative policy texts are analyzed using a form of CDA called critical rhetorical analysis. Analysis of key and exemplary texts illuminate terms around which the attempt to persuade was strong: high quality, age appropriate progress, readiness, and literacy. Authoritative texts and early childhood education literature provide insight into related political negotiations. Findings suggest contradictory interplay between policy documents including creation of the term age appropriate progress, conveyance of a narrow band of meaning and associated …

Keeping The Flames At Bay: The Interplay Between Federal Oversight And State Politics In Tucson’S Mexican American Studies Program, Leslie A. Locke, Ann E. Blankenship

Journal of Educational Controversy

In the wealth of literature discussing Tucson Unified School District’s (TUSD) Mexican American Studies program (MAS), the focus has remained primarily on the political events surrounding the elimination of the highly successful MAS program. The federal desegregation case still pending in Tucson is rarely mentioned and never discussed in depth. In this article, we aim to address this gap in the literature by presenting two stories. First, we look at the story of the TUSD desegregation case originally filed in 1974 and its progress toward unitary status. Next, we look at the story of political scheming and maneuvering in Tucson …

Policymakers' Perceptions On The Application Of Research Evidence In The Policymaking Process Within West Virginia's Higher Education System, Christopher Treadway

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this descriptive, mixed-method study was to explore the role that research evidence plays in policy-related decision-making within West Virginia’s higher education system, policymakers’ perceptions on the reliability and usefulness of various sources of information, and their insights related to factors that facilitate and/or impede the use of research evidence. Using data obtained through an internet-based questionnaire administered to more than 100 higher education policymakers, the study resulted in several notable findings, many of which reinforced similar findings uncovered in the review of the literature.

Most researchers agree that the results of high-quality research can be a tremendous …

Which Public And Why Deliberate? - A Scoping Review Of Public Deliberation In Public Health And Health Policy Research, Christopher J. Degeling, Stacy M. Carter, Lucie Rychetnik

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Deliberative methods are of increasing interest to public health researchers and policymakers. We systematically searched the peer-reviewed literature to identify public health and health policy research involving deliberative methods and report how deliberative methods have been used. We applied a taxonomy developed with reference to health policy and science and technology studies literatures to distinguish how deliberative methods engage different publics: citizens (ordinary people who are unfamiliar with the issues), consumers (those with relevant personal experience e.g. of illness) and advocates (those with technical expertise or partisan interests). We searched four databases for empirical studies in English published 1996-2013. This …