Education Commons^™

Solomon Islands Standardised Tests Of Achievement (Sista). English And Mathematics. Year 4 And Year 6. Report 1 Main Study 2013, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Assessment and Reporting

The SISTA program is a key monitoring tool of the Solomon Islands Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development and has the capacity to serve multiple functions to a wide range of educational stakeholders. This report provides analysis of year 4 and year 6 Literacy and Numeracy of SISTA 2013. The SISTA results contain a wealth of data about how well students have responded to items that are indicators of curriculum attainment. The observed improvements in overall performances may be attributed to: a. Better tests and improved alignment of the tests with the target population; and b. In the case …

Birds Of A Feather... Generalization Of Facial Structures Following Massive Familiarization, Pablo Tinio, Gernot Gerger, Helmut Leder

Department of Educational Foundations Scholarship and Creative Works

Three experiments examined the effects of symmetry and complexity, as facial structures, on the aesthetic judgments of faces, and how these effects are modulated by moderate or massive familiarization. Results showed that symmetrical faces were judged as more attractive than nonsymmetrical faces, and simple faces were judged as more attractive than complex faces-with complexity defined as the number of facial elements. Complexity in faces seemed to have overridden the usually positive effects of facial symmetry. Moreover, while moderate familiarization did not modulate the effects, massive familiarization to a specific face type resulted in structural generalization effects: participants provided higher aesthetic …

From Artistic Creation To Aesthetic Reception: The Mirror Model Of Art, Pablo Tinio

Department of Educational Foundations Scholarship and Creative Works

The fields of creativity and aesthetics remain relatively separate in spite of the great advances made in the psychology of the arts over the past century. This divide has limited our understanding of the experience of art. Here I present a model that describes the interface between the two sides: art-making and art-viewing. According to the model, aesthetic experiences mirror the art-making process in the sense that the early stages of aesthetic processing correspond to the final stages of art-making; conversely, the late stages of aesthetic processing correspond to the initial stages of art-making. Considering the aesthetic processing of an …

The Transformative Potential Of Boundary Spanners: A Narrative Inquiry Into Preservice Teacher Education And Professional Development In An Nclb-Impacted Context, David Whitenack, Patricia Swanson

Faculty Publications

This narrative inquiry uses pedagogic discourse theory and organization theory to frame pre-service teacher education and in-service professional development initiatives in a school district facing tensions related to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Implications for similar future initiatives are considered.

Operation Fast And [We're Serious], Daniel Miedema, Donald Mitchell Jr., Ph.D.

Executives, Administrators, & Staff Publications

The intention of this piece is to push thinking beyond NCLB and offer a fresh perspective on how the U.S. educational system might progress in the future. Consider this a call to action to inspire and promote real change in a profession that has been restrained by federal regulations, standardization, and modest funding.

Student Thought And Classroom Language: Examining The Mechanisms Of Change In Dialogic Teaching, Alina Reznitskaya, Maughn Gregory

Department of Educational Foundations Scholarship and Creative Works

Dialogue, as a communication form characterized by its commitment to inclusiveness and rationality, has long been advocated by educators as a mechanism for helping students become better thinkers. Unfortunately, numerous claims about the educational potential of participating in dialogue have not resulted in substantial changes in classroom practices. Studies have consistently shown that in today's schools the dominant discourse remains largely monologic. In this article, we present a testable theory of change that suggests how sociocultural processes in a dialogic classroom influence students' development.We identify and discuss three learning outcomes of dialogic teaching, including epistemological understanding, argument skills, and disciplinary …

Lleap Dialogue Series (No.2) : A Practical Guide To Grow Your Ideas For Maximum Impact, Michelle Anderson, Emma Curtin

Leading Learning in Education and Philanthropy (LLEAP)

This Guide, number 2 in the series, has been designed as a user friendly tool that could be used by different groups within education and philanthropy to suit their needs (e.g. in the training of philanthropic program managers in education; in the development of educational projects in schools; or supporting school-philanthropic-not-for-profit collaborations). Included are two ‘think pieces’ around collaboration: one on socially intelligent schools by Bill Lucas; the other on philanthropy and Indigenous education by Tony Dreise. These are followed by frameworks and guiding principles; and specific tools, tips and strategies for improving collaboration and engagement. Fifteen cases are also …

Used By Him, Raquel Gomez

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

Comparing Student Experiences With Story Discussions In Dialogic Versus Traditional Settings, Alina Reznitskaya, Monica Glina

Department of Educational Foundations Scholarship and Creative Works

The authors examined the testimonials of 60 elementary school students about their experience during class discussions of assigned readings. They randomly assigned 12 classrooms to 2 treatments: Philosophy for Children (P4C) and Regular Instruction. P4C is an alternative educational environment that places dialogue at the center of its pedagogy. Ten students from each classroom were interviewed. According to the results, significantly more P4C students stated that they enjoyed expressing disagreement with peers, taking on new responsibilities, and explaining their thinking to others. More P4C students complained about the difficulties with getting the floor to speak, and suggested that changes are …

The Enduring Influence Of School Size And School Climate On Parents’ Engagement In The School Community, Lauri Goldkind, G. Lawrence Farmer

Social Service Faculty Publications

his study sought to examine the direct and indirect associations between school size and parents perceptions of the invitations for involvement provided by their childrens school in a school system that has actively attempted to reduce the negative effects of school size. Using data from the New York Public Schools; annual Learning Environment Survey, path analysis was used to examine the role that school climate plays in mediating the relationship between school size and parents perceptions of invitations for involvement. Results from an analysis of middle and high school parents who participated in the annual school survey provided evidence that …

Fostering Student Sense Making In Elementary Science Learning Environments: Elementary Teachers’ Use Of Science Curriculum Materials To Promote Explanation Construction, Laura Zangori, Cory Forbes, Mandy Biggers

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

While research has shown that elementary (K-5) students are capable of engaging in the scientific practice of explanation construction, commonly-used elementary science curriculum materials may not always afford them opportunities to do so. As a result, elementary teachers must often adapt their science curriculum materials to better support students’ explanation construction and foster student sense making. However, little research has been conducted to explore if and, if so, how and why, elementary teachers modify science curriculum materials to engage students in explanation construction. We use an embedded mixed methods research design to explore elementary teachers’ (n = 45) curricular adaptations …

Case 8: Ruskin Park Primary School, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Tender Bridge

Ruskin Park Primary School has been a Tender Bridge subscriber for a year, since two parents from the school, Lisa Dalmau and Ajne Graham, attended Tender Bridge’s ‘Grantseeking for Success’ professional learning program in May 2012. As the only parent participants in that program, they felt that grantseeking was the best way that they could contribute to the school. In discussions with the school principal, Elle May, Lisa talked to Tender Bridge about the school’s success in resourcing its ideas.

Building A Culture For Partnering, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer), Schools Connect Australia

Tender Bridge

'Building a culture for partnering' has been developed because there is a growing body of evidence that shows that school-community partnerships are an effective tool for improving outcomes for students, but for many schools this presents a whole new way of thinking and working. The program has been developed with both primary and secondary schools in mind. Included in this publication are the aims and structure of the Building a Culture for Partnering program and its relationship to the Teaching and Learning School Improvement Framework. Following this is a pre-program kit which outlines a number of activities and includes a …

The Mathematical Development In Number And Operation Of Struggling First Graders, John Lannin, Delinda Van Garderen, Matthew J. Switzer, Kelley E. Buchheister, Tiffany Hill, Christa Jackson

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Number and operations serve as the “cornerstone” of the K-12 mathematics curriculum in many countries. Solving problems in the mathematical domains of algebra, geometry, measurement, and statistics is often closely connected to student knowledge of number and operation (Griffin, 2005). Although considerable knowledge exists regarding the development of number and operation for typically developing children, less is known about the development of children who struggle in mathematics. Moreover, children enter school with considerable differences in their understanding of number and operation. While most children, through exposure to various informal and formal tasks, develop a deeper understanding of number and operation, …

Effective Comprehension Strategies In The Elementary Classroom, Melissa Ann Determan

Graduate Research Papers

This paper focuses on key fiction and nonfiction comprehension strategies and different methods for teaching these strategies in the elementary classroom. It is essential to use effective comprehension instruction within the classroom to unlock meaning and to build student success. These strategies include activating background knowledge, questioning, summarizing, and text structures.

The Effects Of Peer-Conferencing On Writing Revisions In A Second Grade Classroom, Emily C. Guetzlaff

Graduate Research Papers

Writing has long been known as one of the three "R's" in education. However, many educators lack instructional knowledge on how to teach writing. Revision and conferencing are part of the writing teacher's vocabulary, but little research exists on these topics. This study utilized qualitative and quantitative data to compare the effects of students trained in peer-conferencing and students not trained in peer-conferencing and the effect on their writing. The introduction presents the problem that led to the development of this study. A literature review provides existing research related to writing workshop, instruction in writing, revision, and collaboration through conferring. …

Comparison Of Student Achievement, Understanding, Enjoyment, And Motivation In Mathematics Units For High-Achieving Fifth Graders With And Without Creative Problem Solving Games, Kalyn Jon Cody

Graduate Research Papers

Students in our public schools often struggle to create deep, personal meaning regarding mathematical concepts. Perhaps our students do not spend enough time studying mathematics during the day. Perhaps our teachers do not have a deep understanding, which leads to problems in teaching at a deep level. Or perhaps our students simply are not motivated to study the subject at a deep level because it does not seem interesting. In this pretest/post-test repeated measures study of 24 fifth grade students in a grade-accelerated mathematics class, a link between achievement scores and understanding of mathematical concepts through the use of invented …

Integrated Curriculum In The Elementary Classroom, Katherine Decker Simpson

Graduate Research Papers

Integrated curriculum can be broadly defined as using a theme to connect standards and objectives from multiple subject areas in a meaningful way to create relevant, student-centered learning tasks that promote social growth and deep comprehension. This type of instruction can promote higher-order thinking skills, cooperative learning, motivate students to engage in their own learning, and many other "intangibles".

The purpose of this project was to create an integrated unit for a first-grade classroom. The outcome will be an actual unit that can be used as a guide for teachers. However, another purpose of the project was to grasp the …

How Common Is Common?, Elizabeth Burns, Sue Kimmel, Kasey L. Garrison

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, 2010) aims to develop students who are college and career ready in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language. The standards also emphasize students' need "to understand other perspectives and cultures" (p. 7). Appendix B of the document includes lists of exemplar texts (stories, read-aloud stories, poetry, and information texts) to help educators choose texts that meet the recommended qualities of complexity, quality, and range. This study examines the Appendix B stories and read-aloud stories at the K-5 …