Education Commons^™

High-Stakes Tests Require High-Stakes Pedagogy, Randy Lattimore

Trotter Review

High-stakes mathematics tests continue to gain popularity in the United States, with an increasing number of states setting the passing of such tests as a high school graduation requirement. Consequently, instruction and instructional content have changed, with teachers emphasizing materials on the test while neglecting other important aspects of learning. The tests have become all-consuming, taking over many students' lives. Yet students are often ill prepared for these tests. This is even more true for African-American students whose cultural and social circumstances make their preparation for high-stakes tests inadequate and ineffective. The author examines six such students - their hopes …

Civic Knowledge And Engagement: An Iea Study Of Upper Secondary Students In Sixteen Countries, Jo-Ann Amadeo, Judith Torney-Purta, Rainer Lehmann, Vera Husfeldt, Roumiana Nikolova

Civics and Citizenship Assessment

No abstract provided.

An Outcomes Based Study Of Whole School Reform In The Abbott Districts: An In-Depth Study Of Academic Progress At The Lower Elementary Level Based On The Fourth Grade Espas, Miriam J. Singer

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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The Impact Of Principals' Transformational Leadership Behaviors On Teacher Commitment And Teacher Job Satisfaction, Paul F. Amoroso

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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The Professional Teaching Portfolio As A Tool For Formative Evaluation: A Case Study, Karen P. Fasanella

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Strenghtening The Academic Quality, Community Presence And Institutional Power Of The Two-Year Community Colleges In New Jersey, Jennifer R. Hopek

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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A Study Of The Impact Of The New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards On The Instructional Practices Of Teachers In Grades 1-4, David H. Dilks

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Retention In The New Millennium, Pat Davison

Graduate Research Papers

This study examined the effects of retention in regards to children's academic success. The features of retention, research and literature associated with retention, and the benefits and disadvantages were discussed. Guidelines were presented for teachers, along with the appropriate strategies to use in grade level retention. In addition, conclusions were drawn from literature and recommendations for the future facilitation of retention policies.

The Relationship Between Demographic And Attitudinal Characteristics Of Primary-School Teachers And Implementation Of The Continuous Assessment Program In Swaziland, Hibajene Monga Shandomo

Dissertations

Problem. The purposes of this study were to determine the extent to which primary school teachers were implementing the Continuous Assessment Program (CAP) and to examine personal and institutional factors that may be related to the implementation of the program.

Method. A questionnaire designed to measure degree of implementation and attitude toward the Continuous Assessment Program was administered to a stratified random sample of 600 Grade 1 to Grade 7 teachers from 54 schools. Personnel from the National Curriculum Center (NCC) delivered and collected the questionnaires from each school. Completed questionnaires were then forwarded to the researcher. Data were coded …

The Impact Of Self Assesment And Feedback On Students Learning, Federica Castro

MA TESOL Collection

The independent Professional Project is an exploratory action-research, the main purpose of which was to verify the impact of self-assessment and feedback on students learning; that is, to substantiate how useful these tools are for students and if their really influences students learning and academic progress. Various instruments were designed and applied throughout the research process to a group of Dominican students taking the Level I English course at PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA MADRE Y MAESTRA in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Theoretical implications are also presented here as well as limitations found while conducting the research. Finally, I offer some useful suggestions …

Reading Program For The Third Year Medical Undergraduates, Gabriela Breazu

MA TESOL Collection

The paper provides an examination of the reading program that was devised for the third year medical undergraduates, at the Department of Modern Languages, at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Luilu Hatieganu", Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The reading program, using authentic medical texts and authentic literary texts, is intended for Romanian medical students in order to develop efficient reading skills. At the same time the program aims at pushing learners into experiencing pleasure and joy in reading interactively, inside and outside the English class and classroom. The chapters of the paper analyze in details the different parts of the program from …

It’S All About M.E. (Motivation Through (Self) Evaluation), Wendy Pillars

MA TESOL Collection

Middle school is a paradox. Students want nothing more than autonomy, while classrooms become more structured and demanding. With the increased structure, however, are increased expectations for the students to determine what to do and when to do it, on their own. This rapid increase in personal responsibility creates confusion in an already tumultuous time in their lives, and a common retaliation, out of fear, apathy, or simply not knowing, is to do nothing. It is a given that students differ in their motivation to learn, and tapping each one of those sources becomes, in effect, a quest for the …

The Psychosocial Determinants Of Middle- And High-School Violence: An Investigation Of The Perceptions Of Parents Of Children Suspended For Committing Violent Acts At School, Beverly Cameron

Dissertations

Problem. This study investigated parents' perceptions of the psychosocial determinants of middle- and high-school violence.

Method. Phase Four of the Predisposing, Reinforcing, and Enabling Constructs in Educational Diagnosis and Evaluation (PRECEDE) model, developed by Lawrence Green, was utilized to examine the perceptions of parents regarding the psychosocial determinants of middle- and high-school violence. Respondents were 191 parents whose children were suspended for school violence. One-way ANOVAs were used to analyze the influence ofgender, age, education, family structure, and income on school violence.

Results. Parents believed their children would solve problems using nonviolent means but they responded in a violent manner …

A Case Analysis Of Three Middle-School Boys Who Have Down Syndrome And Have Been In Regular Education Classes Since Preschool, Eileen Frances Luddy

Dissertations

This study investigated the experiences of three middle-school boys who have Down syndrome and have always attended regular education classes.

Despite the existence of policies and initiatives in support of inclusive education, research on the implementation of inclusive practices in middle schools is sparse.

This study is organized in nine chapters. A review of literature revealed that significant research conducted during the past decade supports the practice of including students with disabilities in regular education and the benefits of inclusion outweigh the benefits of separate instruction.

A case study approach investigated the phenomenon covering contextual conditions surrounding the experiences of …

A Comparative Analysis Of Two Course Delivery Models Through The Telequiz Protocol, A Study Of Web-Based Distance Assessment Modalities, Patrick Michael O'Shea

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Studies

Distance education and distance assessment have become the focus of many institutions of higher learning, and there is a need to know how these tools compare with those used in the traditional classroom setting. This study was designed to compare online and traditional students utilizing a mixture of quantitative and qualitative strategies in a quasi experimental model. This research was conducted at Old Dominion University using a sample of online and traditional students enrolled in an Introduction to Education course (ECI 300). Both versions of this course utilize an online quizzing protocol known as Telequiz. Quiz scores, final exam scores …

Bridging The Gap Between The 'Haves' And The 'Have Nots' : Report Of The National Education And Employment Forum (Neef), A Feeney, D Feeney, M Norton, Robert Simons, D Wyatt, G Zappala

Dr Robert Simons

This report addresses key issues of concern across the country about those Australians who continue to experience disadvantage in a variety of ways. It reaffirms the role of education as a major contributor to the transformation of Australian society, and as a passport to employment and fuller participation in that society.

Inclusion Of Numeracy In Adult Basic Education, Dave Tout, Mary Schmitt

David (Dave) Tout

In their chapter on numeracy, the authors begin by exploring the many terms used to describe the learning of mathematics by adults. They discuss the relationship between the terms "mathematics" and "numeracy" and explain why numeracy--making meaning with numbers and mathematical processes--is the term they chose for their overview. Moving on to examine adult numeracy education in the U.S, the authors find that little attention is paid to the development of math skills among adults in Adult Basic Education (ABE) research but that adult numeracy education is prominent in practice. They highlight the development of practitioner groups that share ideas, …

Program Needs Assessment Of The Global Development Learning Network In The East Asia And Pacific Region, John Ainley, D Banks, P Croger

Dr John Ainley

The major purpose of the survey was to provide a program needs assessment for the Global Development Learning Network, which is a fully interactive, multi-channel network that connects Distance Learning Centres across the globe. [Introduction]

Navigating The Transition From School To Work: Implications For The Emotional Well-Being Of Young People, Julie Mcmillan, Kylie Hillman, John Ainley

Julie McMillan

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Reading Skills Development From Kindergarten Through First Grade: An Application Of Growth Mixture Modeling To Sequential Processes, B Muthén, Siek Khoo, D Francis, C Boscardin

Dr Siek Toon Khoo

No abstract provided.

Participation In Science Courses In The Final Year Of High School In Australia : The Influences Of Single-Sex And Coeducational Schools, John Ainley, Peter Daly

Dr John Ainley

The subjects studied in the senior secondary years have a major influence upon subsequent educational and career options, and the choice of subjects has been seen as involving issues about equity between various social groups. Concern over equity in subject choice is expressed in relation to science because it is regarded as the basis for entry to many programs of professional education. It is argued that the much lower levels of participation by young women in physical science courses at school means that a range of vocational choices is subsequently denied to them. In a number of Western countries single- …

From Place To Place : School Location And Access To University Education In Victoria, Bob Birell, Virginia Rapson, Ian Dobson, Daniel Edwards, T Smith

Dr Daniel Edwards

This study investigates the VCE outcomes for Victorian Year 12 students by school sector and location, and the consequences for university selection. The key finding is that students in Victorian government schools are performing poorly at Year 12 level relative to their counterparts in the Catholic and other Independent schools. The overall median ENTER for Independent schools students was 84.20, compared with 69.65 for Catholic schools and 62.80 for government schools. The percentage of students who began Year 12 in 2000 and actually enrolled in a Victorian university in 2001 were 31% (Government), 48% (Catholic) and 60% (Independent).

Reflections On Planning A Case Study, Jennifer Bryce

Dr Jennifer Bryce

It seems that 'case study' can mean very different things. The staunch positivists treat it warily as some kind of slippery, self-indulgent chat about one's personal experiences at a site. Others mistakenly equate 'case study' with all forms of qualitative inquiry. And some see it merely as a way of making a quantitative study more interesting, but when used appropriately, well-planned, with participants and researcher working a collaborative manner, case study can be a powerful means of investigation. The author outlines the reason to undertake a case study and shares some issues that arise in the planning. Like most research, …

The Nature And Characteristics Of Professionals In Australia, John Western, T Makkai, Julie Mcmillan, K Dwan

Julie McMillan

No abstract provided.

Parametric Optimization In Data Mining Incorporated With Ga-Based Search, L Tan, D Taniar, K Smith

Dr Ling Tan

A number of parameters must be specified for a data-mining algorithm. Default values of these parameters are given and generally accepted as ‘good’ estimates for any data set. However, data mining models are known to be data dependent, and so are for their parameters. Default values may be good estimates, but they are often not the best parameter values for a particular data set. A tuned set of parameter values is able to produce a data-mining model of better classification and higher prediction accuracy. However parameter search is known to be expensive. This paper investigates GA-based heuristic techniques in a …

The Certificates In Science For Adults : Working Towards Scientific Literacy., Dave Tout

David (Dave) Tout

The Certificates in Science for Adults are a new set of further education certificates at AQF levels I, II, and III. They are designed for adults who left school early and/or who did not pursue science at school and who now want to improve their knowledge, understanding and skills in science.

Retroviral Delivery Of Connexin Genes To Human Breast Tumor Cells Inhibits In Vivo Tumor Growth By A Mechanism That Is Independent Of Significant Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication, H. Qin, Q. Shao, H. Curtis, J. Galipeau, Daniel Belliveau, T. Wang, M. Alaoui-Jamali, D. Laird

Daniel J. Belliveau

The mechanism by which gap junction proteins, connexins, act as potent tumor suppressors remains poorly understood. In this study human breast tumor cells were found to exhibit diverse gap junction phenotypes including (a) undetectable Cx43 and no intercellular communication (HBL100); (b) low levels of Cx43 and sparse intercellular communication (MDA-MB-231); and (c) significant levels of Cx43 and moderate intercellular communication (Hs578T). Although retroviral delivery of Cx43 and Cx26 cDNAs to MDA-MB-231 cells did not achieve an expected substantial rescue of intercellular communication, overexpression of connexin genes did result in a dramatic suppression of tumor growth when connexin-expressing MDA-MB-231 cells were …

Intellectual Capital : Managing The New Performance Drivers : Information, Resources And Basic Steps To Self-Evaluation, Fran Ferrier, Phil Mckenzie

Dr Phillip McKenzie

This document is a guide for enterprises on the measurement, reporting and management of the new performance drivers which are variously known as 'intangibles' and, when captured to produce value, as intellectual capital. The guide provides information, selected resources and a basic method for self-evaluation. It includes information and ideas to help enterprises of all kinds to better familiarise themselves with the new performance drivers, to manage them more effectively and to report on them more clearly.

Three Years On : Literacy Advance In The Early And Middle Primary Years, John Ainley, Marianne Fleming, Margaret Mcgregor

Dr John Ainley

The Literacy Advance Research Project, a component of the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria's broader Literacy Advance reform strategy, was designed as an evaluation of the implementation of the strategy and the approaches to literacy that the strategy encompasses. It began as a two-year longitudinal study (Phase One) that tracked student progress in literacy from the beginning of Year 1 to the end of Year 2. It also investigated the implementation of key elements of the Literacy Advance strategy over the two years. Phase Two of the Research Project began in February 2000. This extension was based on the following …

A Taxonomy For Inter-Model Parallelism In High Performance Data Mining, Ling Tan, D Taniar, K Smith

Dr Ling Tan

No abstract provided.