Education Commons^™

The Inclusion Of Self-Assessment In Merit Evaluation, Kenneth L. Rigler, Lorie Cook-Benjamin, Regi Wieland, Carrie Tholstrup

Kenneth Rigler

The purpose of this survey study was to collect faculty perceptions toward changes made to the faculty merit evaluation process in a college of education at a state comprehensive university. The changes in the evaluation occurred over a two-year period, where a formative rubric and faculty self-assessment were incorporated into the merit instrument. The sampling frame for the study included the college of education faculty members at the university. The data for the study were collected in two different phases using a field-tested online survey that was created to collect the faculty perceptions of the newly developed instrument and process …

Do Students Use And Understand Free-Body Diagrams?, David Rosengrant, Alan Van Heuvelen, Eugenia Etkina

David Rosengrant

Physics education literature recommends using multiple representations to help students understand concepts and solve problems. However, there is little research concerning why students use the representations and whether those who use them are more successful. This study addresses these questions using free-body diagrams (diagrammatic representations used in problems involving forces) as a type of representation. We conducted a two-year quantitative and qualitative study of students’ use of free-body diagrams while solving physics problems. We found that when students are in a course that consistently emphasizes the use of free-body diagrams, the majority of them do use diagrams on their own …

The Question Of School Resources And Student Achievement: A History And Reconsideration, Larry Hedges, Terri D. Pigott, Joshua Polanin, Ann Marie Ryan, Charles Tocci, Ryan T. Williams

Ann Marie Ryan, PhD

One question posed continually over the past century of education research is to what extent school resources affect student outcomes. From the turn of the century to the present, a diverse set of actors, including politicians, physicians, and researchers from a number of disciplines, have studied whether and how money that is provided for schools translates into increased student achievement. The authors discuss the historical origins of the question of whether school resources relate to student achievement, and report the results of a meta- analysis of studies examining that relationship. They find that policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders have addressed …

The Case For Urgency: Advocating For Indigenous Voice In Education, Kevin P. Gillan, Suzanne Mellor, Jacynta Krakouer

Jacynta Krakouer

In 2004 the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) published an Australian Education Review (AER) on Indigenous Education: The Case for Change: A review of contemporary research on Indigenous education outcomes, AER 47 (Mellor & Corrigan, 2004). In the 13 years since its publication, the state of Indigenous education outcomes has remained substantially unaltered. All the social indicators demonstrate that Australia’s First Nations people continue to be the most socio-economically disadvantaged population cohort in Australian society. This is after decades of continued policy efforts by successive Commonwealth, state and territory governments to ameliorate Indigenous education disadvantage. We still struggle with …

The Case For Urgency: Advocating For Indigenous Voice In Education, Kevin P. Gillan, Suzanne Mellor, Jacynta Krakouer

Suzanne Mellor

In 2004 the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) published an Australian Education Review (AER) on Indigenous Education: The Case for Change: A review of contemporary research on Indigenous education outcomes, AER 47 (Mellor & Corrigan, 2004). In the 13 years since its publication, the state of Indigenous education outcomes has remained substantially unaltered. All the social indicators demonstrate that Australia’s First Nations people continue to be the most socio-economically disadvantaged population cohort in Australian society. This is after decades of continued policy efforts by successive Commonwealth, state and territory governments to ameliorate Indigenous education disadvantage. We still struggle with …

Evaluation Of The In2science Peer Mentoring Program: Final Report, Julie Kos, Jacynta Krakouer, Sheldon Rothman

Dr Sheldon Rothman

Large-scale studies of 15-year-old school students show associations between students’ attitudes toward science learning and their levels of achievement (Ainley, Kos, & Nicholas, 2008). One model for improving students’ attitudes towards science and mathematics learning has been the provision of peer mentoring. The In2science program uses a peer mentoring approach to engage secondary school students in science and mathematics study. Working with the classroom teacher, university students serve as mentors and help students with their learning and build relationships in a small group or a whole class. Mentors talk to students about studying science (or another STEM area) at university …

Evaluation Of The In2science Peer Mentoring Program: Final Report, Julie Kos, Jacynta Krakouer, Sheldon Rothman

Jacynta Krakouer

Large-scale studies of 15-year-old school students show associations between students’ attitudes toward science learning and their levels of achievement (Ainley, Kos, & Nicholas, 2008). One model for improving students’ attitudes towards science and mathematics learning has been the provision of peer mentoring. The In2science program uses a peer mentoring approach to engage secondary school students in science and mathematics study. Working with the classroom teacher, university students serve as mentors and help students with their learning and build relationships in a small group or a whole class. Mentors talk to students about studying science (or another STEM area) at university …

Determining Graduation Rates In Engineering For Community College Transfer Students Using Data Mining, Marcia Laugerman, Diane T. Rover, Mack C. Shelley, Steven K. Mickelson

Diane Rover

This study presents a unique synthesized set of data for community college students entering the university with the intention of earning a degree in engineering. Several cohorts of longitudinal data were combined with transcript-level data from both the community college and the university to measure graduation rates in engineering. The emphasis of the study is to determine academic variables that had significant correlations with graduation in engineering, and levels of these academic variables. The article also examines the utility of data mining methods for understanding the academic variables related to achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The practical purpose …

Derring Do Survey Data: Exploring Health Sciences Library Collaboration With Evaluation Experts, Marian Taliaferro, Jackie Loweree

Marian Taliaferro

No abstract provided.

Pisa 2015: Financial Literacy In Australia, Sue Thomson, Lisa De Bortoli

Dr Sue Thomson

The main focus of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) financial literacy assessment is on measuring the proficiency of 15-year-old students in demonstrating and applying the knowledge and skill that they have learned in and out of school. Like other PISA domains, financial literacy is assessed using an instrument designed to provide data that are valid, reliable and interpretable. PISA is an international comparative assessment of student achievement directed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). PISA measures how well 15-year-olds, who are nearing the end of their compulsory schooling in most participating educational systems, are prepared …

Pisa 2015: Financial Literacy In Australia, Sue Thomson, Lisa De Bortoli

Lisa De Bortoli

The main focus of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) financial literacy assessment is on measuring the proficiency of 15-year-old students in demonstrating and applying the knowledge and skill that they have learned in and out of school. Like other PISA domains, financial literacy is assessed using an instrument designed to provide data that are valid, reliable and interpretable. PISA is an international comparative assessment of student achievement directed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). PISA measures how well 15-year-olds, who are nearing the end of their compulsory schooling in most participating educational systems, are prepared …

Data-Based Decisions Guidelines For Teachers Of Students With Severe Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Bree A. Jimenez, Pamela J. Mims, Diane M. Browder

Pamela J. Mims

Effective practices in student data collection and implementation of data-based instructional decisions are needed for all educators, but are especially important when students have severe intellectual and develop- mental disabilities. Although research in the area of data-based instructional decisions for students with severe disabilities shows benefits for using data, there is limited research to demonstrate teachers in applied settings can acquire the decision-making skills required. The purpose of this research was to demonstrate how teachers from five states acquired a set of data-based decisions implementation guidelines through online professional development. Recommendations for practice and future research are included.

Self-Assessment And Student Improvement In An Introductory Computer Course At The Community College Level 1, Jama Spicer-Sutton, James Lampley, Donald W. Good

Donald W. Good

The purpose of this study was to determine a student’s computer knowledge upon course entry and if there was a difference in college students’ improvement scores as measured by the difference in pretest and post-test scores of new or novice users, moderate users, and expert users at the end of a college level introductory computing class. This study also determined whether there were differences in improvement scores by gender or age group. The results of this study were used to determine whether there was a difference in improvement scores among the three campus locations participating in this study.

Four hundred …

Turning Policy Into Practice: A Case Study Examining The Interplay Between Policy, Research, And Program Design In Teacher Education, Ryan Andrew Nivens, Catherine Paolucci

Ryan Andrew Nivens

Excerpt:This presentation will consider the interplay between policy, international research and the design and development of a new mathematics teacher education program in the Republic of Ireland.

Beyond Problem-Based Learning: How A Residency Model Improves The Education Of Pre-Service Teachers, Ryan Andrew Nivens, Renée Rice Moran

Ryan Andrew Nivens

Excerpt: In 2010, the state of Tennessee embraced the call to overhaul teacher education and required programs to adopt a residency model within K‐12 schools.

Patterns Of Participation In Year 12 And Higher Education In Australia : Trends And Issues, Gary Marks, Nicole Fleming, Michael Long, Julie Mcmillan

Dr Julie McMillan

The report examines participation in education in Australia. It addresses several policy and conceptual issues relevant to educational participation. These include rurality, ethnicity, Indigenous status, socioeconomic background, part-time work, individual schools, and psychological factors.

Investigating The Relationship Between Equity And Graduate Outcomes In Australia, Sarah Richardson, Dawn Bennett, Lynne Roberts

Dr Sarah Richardson

Australian higher education equity policy focusses mostly on access and participation with the implicit assumption that disadvantage will be ameliorated through educational achievement. Less is known as to whether patterns of disadvantage continue post-completion. In a context in which graduate employability is becoming an important yardstick against which to measure institutional effectiveness, this question is of fundamental importance to higher education equity practitioners and policymakers. This study employed Commonwealth graduate outcome data to investigate relationships between disadvantage and graduate outcomes in Australia, with disadvantage defined as a graduate belonging to one or more of the following groups – low SES, …

Researcher Mobility Workshop Report: Researcher Mobility Among Apec Economies, Sarah Richardson, Julie Mcmillan, Ren Yi

Dr Sarah Richardson

There is growing acknowledgement around the world that contemporary research is increasingly – and needs to be – international. In a globalised world common problems can only be solved through the sharing of expertise and pooling of resources. At the same time, research developments are critical in stimulating economic growth in knowledge economies. Ensuring that researchers can access best practice through international research collaboration is essential in facilitating innovation. Policies and structures can go a long way to supporting increased international research collaboration. Online communication technologies have become a vital part of researcher mobility, enabling researchers to unite in conducting …

Evaluation Of An E-Portfolio Pilot Streamlining.Docx, Carrie Smucker

Deborah Bambini

Early Years Transitions: Supporting Children And Families At Risk Of Experiencing Vulnerability: Rapid Literature Review, Jacynta Krakouer, Pru Mitchell, Jenny Trevitt, Anita Kochanoff

Pru Mitchell

This rapid literature review on support for children and families at risk of experiencing vulnerability in early years transitions was commissioned by the Victorian Department of Education and Training. It sought to understand how Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services, professionals and teachers could better support children at risk of vulnerability, and their families, during transitions. The transitions included are from home, out-of-home care (OOHC) and other programs/services to ECEC services and to school. In particular, this review focuses on the support needs of children who have experienced trauma, children living in out-of-home care, refugee children, and children who …

Early Years Transitions: Supporting Children And Families At Risk Of Experiencing Vulnerability: Rapid Literature Review, Jacynta Krakouer, Pru Mitchell, Jenny Trevitt, Anita Kochanoff

Jacynta Krakouer

This rapid literature review on support for children and families at risk of experiencing vulnerability in early years transitions was commissioned by the Victorian Department of Education and Training. It sought to understand how Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services, professionals and teachers could better support children at risk of vulnerability, and their families, during transitions. The transitions included are from home, out-of-home care (OOHC) and other programs/services to ECEC services and to school. In particular, this review focuses on the support needs of children who have experienced trauma, children living in out-of-home care, refugee children, and children who …

Value Added Methods: Moving From Univariate To Multivariate Criteria, David Newman, Isadore Newman, Carolyn Ridenour, Jennifer Morales

Carolyn S. Ridenour

The authors describe five value-added methods (VAM) used in school assessment as the backdrop to their main thesis. Then they review the assumptions underlying measurement and evaluation, the foundation of all assessment systems, including value-added. They discuss the traditional criterion variable used in VAM: a standardized test score. Next, they challenge the univariate assumptions of VAMs, and argue that a multivariate paradigm of VAM is more advantageous for educators and stakeholders. Finally they describe a potential scenario whereby a multivariate VAM might be implemented.

Theses And Dissertations: A Guide To Writing In Social And Physical Sciences, Isadore Newman, Carolyn Ridenour, David M. Weis, Keith Mcneil

Carolyn S. Ridenour

This practical volume is designed to assist graduate students in planning, conducting, and writing theses or dissertations in the social and physical sciences. Numerous examples are provided and many tips are included to facilitate completion of the thesis or dissertation. This record contains Chapter 1, which discusses the components of what is usually found in chapter 1 of a dissertation or master's thesis.

Meanings Underlying Student Ratings Of Faculty, Carolyn Ridenour, Stephen J. Blatt

Carolyn S. Ridenour

The purpose of this study was to examine how undergraduate students interpret the items on a faculty evaluation instrument. Most research on faculty evaluation is quantitative (Marsh and Bailey 1993). Our first study was also quantitative. After we produced a profile of quantitative ratings of faculty by students across all departments in our university in an earlier study, we wanted to go beneath the numbers to their meaning. We designed the present qualitative study to investigate what the items on that form meant to students.

Factors Underlying Effective College Teaching: What Students Tell Us, Carolyn Ridenour, Stephen J. Blatt

Carolyn S. Ridenour

The researchers analyzed 28,000 student evaluations of faculty across 46 departments for one academic term. A 27-item instrument on which students rated faculty was used. One global item assessing overall instructor effectiveness was predicted most strongly by three items: namely, students' perception that the instructor was prepared, presented subject matter clearly, and was interesting. The predictors of students, perceiving that they "learned a lot" were the ratings on three items: the instructor was interesting, the course met the objectives, and the instructor was well-prepared. Being prepared and being interesting seem to be critical characteristics for university faculty in the classroom.

Detecting Low Incidents Effects: The Value Of Mixed Methods Research Design In Low-N Studies, Isadore Newman, Carolyn Ridenour, Carole Newman, Shannon Smith, Russell C. Brown

Carolyn S. Ridenour

Many important educational situations such as traumatic brain injury among preschoolers, school gun violence, preadolescent eating disorders, and adolescent suicide happen relatively infrequently. In this article, the authors explain why mixed methods research designs offer more meaningful empirical results than do qualitative or quantitative designs alone when asking research questions about low incident situations. The authors present and explain three mixed methods models applicable to low incidents situations.

Adolescent Suicide: The Implication Of Coping, Family Functioning And Their Interactions For Prevention And Intervention, Ronald F. Bobner, David M. Weis, Carolyn Ridenour, Pam Gulley Smith, Kathy Kormos, Ben E. Lanpher

Carolyn S. Ridenour

It has become apparent over the past ten years that the role of the family has been identified as an increasingly significant variable with regard to adolescent suicide. Some authors go as far as to say that "family related factors appear to be, very little information is available about the family characteristics of youths that kill themselves. Furthermore, family characteristics of youths who attempt suicide are often described as a side feature of investigations of other factors, and these generally focus on the family characteristics only after an attempt has occurred. Little is known about those family factors that are …

Researcher Mobility Workshop Report: Researcher Mobility Among Apec Economies, Sarah Richardson, Julie Mcmillan, Ren Yi

Dr Julie McMillan

There is growing acknowledgement around the world that contemporary research is increasingly – and needs to be – international. In a globalised world common problems can only be solved through the sharing of expertise and pooling of resources. At the same time, research developments are critical in stimulating economic growth in knowledge economies. Ensuring that researchers can access best practice through international research collaboration is essential in facilitating innovation. Policies and structures can go a long way to supporting increased international research collaboration. Online communication technologies have become a vital part of researcher mobility, enabling researchers to unite in conducting …

Mapping Researcher Mobility: Measuring Research Collaboration Among Apec Economies, Ali Radloff

Ali Radloff

Researcher mobility is an important form of cross-border education (CBE). It has the potential to generate significant benefits for economies as expert scholars and scientists come together to solve some of the most pressing challenges in the contemporary world. Among members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Community (APEC) researcher mobility can strengthen ties between economies and enable the minimisation of barriers to economic growth and sustainability. There are not currently any comparable or rigorous data available on researcher mobility among APEC economies. Proxy measures are needed to gain a sense of the extent to which researchers in APEC economies are collaborating …

Is The Effectiveness Of Lecture Capture Related To Teaching Approach Or Content Type?, Jared A. Danielson, Vanessa Preast, Holly Bender, Lesya M. Hassall

Lesya Hassall

The purpose of two related studies was to explore the relationships between course characteristics (teaching approach, content type, and level of curricular coordination), lecture-capture implementation, and learning in a veterinary medical education environment. Two hundred and twenty two students and 35 faculty members participated in the first study, which surveyed respondents regarding their perception of lecture-capture use and impact on learning. Four hundred and ninety one students participated in the second study, which compared scores on a standardized test of basic science knowledge among groups experiencing various levels of lecture-capture implementation. Students were most likely to view captured lectures in …