Education Commons^™

Examining Family Child Care Quality From A Business Perspective, Mccormick Center For Early Childhood Leadership

McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership Publications

Research has demonstrated that center-based early childhood programs that have sound administrative practices are more apt to promote high-quality learning environments and positive development outcomes for children. There is a growing concensus that sound business practices are equally important in family child care settings. While there are several instruments that measure the quality of provider-child interactions and the quality of the learning environment in family child care, there has not been a valid and reliable measure of business and professional practices of family child care. With this in mind, the Business Scale for Family Child Care (BAS) was developed to …

The Power Of The Teacher: Integrating Latino-Themed Literature In The K-12 Classroom, Ruth Quiroa, Susan Mcmahon, Barbara Evans, Francisco X. Alarcon

Western Suburban Literacy Initiative (WSLI) Conference

High quality books with culturally specific themes offer wonderful opportunities to access the background knowledge and personal connections of students with similar cultural heritage. However, the simple addition of the “right” multicultural books in the classroom is not enough to ensure that students engage in deep level responses involving culture. The teacher’s role in such conversations is critical and the focus of this session. Presenters will share examples from their work with students of Mexican origin and Mexican American-themed books published in the U.S. Participants will also have opportunities to take part in Book Clubs using Latino-themed children’s literature, respond …

How To Develop A ‘Culturally Aware’ Classroom Environment, Karla Gajarka

Western Suburban Literacy Initiative (WSLI) Conference

The student body in today’s school is becoming more diverse than ever before and the cultural and linguistic differences these students are bringing into the classrooms need to be carefully acknowledged and addressed! In this workshop participants will learn how they can make their classroom environment more ‘Culturally and Linguistically aware.’ Participants will benefit from this session by: (i) learning how to provide Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) students with a respectful and safe environment, and (ii) developing greater fluency on how to help ELL students feel more welcome.

Libros En Voz Alta/ Books Aloud, Patti Johanson

Western Suburban Literacy Initiative (WSLI) Conference

This presentation describes a classroom-based homework project involving students of Mexican-origin, in a bilingual first grade classroom and a modification of the project by a reading specialist involving second language learners in Title I programs. Students were given backpacks to take home bi-weekly on a rotating basis filled with a tape recorder, their “Family Journal,” a picture book in Spanish (later in English), and a recording of the text. After listening to a book on tape (or CD) and to oral and written prompts, students and family members wrote or drew responses in their Family Journals. During home visits and …

Teaching Academic Content To English Language Learners (Ell): Strategies On How To Help Ells Succeed Academically, Karla Garjaka

Western Suburban Literacy Initiative (WSLI) Conference

This workshop will show how mainstream teachers can make academic content more comprehensible to English Language Learners (ELL) without diluting the curriculum. More specifically, it will expose participants to strategies on how to keep ELL students at grade level while developing their English language proficiency. Participants will benefit from this session by: (i) developing greater fluency on how educators can help ELL succeed academically; and (ii) becoming better prepared to face the challenges of working in a diverse school.

Learning From The Nlu "Americas" Library Collection: New Book Titles For Spanish-Language Ell Students, Barbara Evans, Ruth Quiroa

Western Suburban Literacy Initiative (WSLI) Conference

Come and hear about the Americas Collection of children's books located at the NLU campus in Lisle, and learn about venues for purchasing such books for your own classroom and school library. This collection consists of books originally written in Spanish by Latin American authors from many different countries, as well as bilingual books (Spanish and English), texts published in English with Latino themes, and some Spanish translations from recommended book lists. These books are appropriate for grades PreK-12, and represent a broad range of genres and formats. The presenters attended the Feria internacional del libro (FIL) in Guadalajara, Mexico …

Libr 200 Fall 2009, Rob Morrison

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Developing A Unified Performance Measurement System, Mccormick Center For Early Childhood Leadership

McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership Publications

In recent years, a host of studies have exposed wide inconsistency in quality of early childhood education programs in the United States. Findings reveal that large populations of young children receive poor or inadequate services. Policymakers have responded by pursuing a variety of strategies to measure and ultimately enhance children's early learning experiences. However, with numerous measurement tools available, the meaningful and consistent measurement of quality has proven challenging. It is unclear how quality measures compare, what they specifically measure, and how they function across three early childhood education systems—child care, Head Start, and state-funded pre-kindergarten. To address these questions …

An Analysis And Evaluation Of Sit Stay Read: Is The Program Effective In Improving Student Engagement And Reading Outcomes?, Corinne Serra Smith

Dissertations

Sit Stay Read is a unique literacy intervention program that uses dogs in the classroom to improve student reading and writing outcomes in select, disadvantaged Chicago Public Schools. The goal of this research study was to analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the Sit Stay Read program in improving student engagement and reading outcomes.

As evaluated during the 2008/2009 school year, through mixed methods research, the Sit Stay Read program was effective in improving second grade students’ oral reading fluency scores with students in the program group (N=152) gaining 8 words per minute more on average, but up to 14 …

Unlocking Doors For The Locked-Out: How Can Community Colleges Help To Demolish Barriers, Build Bridges, And Transition Male Ex-Offenders Into The Workforce, Jeannette Collins-Molden

Dissertations

Over 670,000 adult prisoners were released in 2004. It is estimated that by 2010 over 1.2 million inmates will be released annually. The purpose of this study was to explore (a) barriers that male ex-offenders encounter in their pursuit of entering the workforce and (b) various types of education and support services that community colleges could provide in order to assist this marginalized population in overcoming these barriers. This qualitative case study was conducted at a community college offering programs that attracted a population of at least 50% male ex-offenders. Six male ex-offender students, four of the case study institution …

The Role Of Leadership To Integrate The Learning Continuum, Mccormick Center For Early Childhood Leadership

McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership Publications

The American education system developed in separate sectors at different times (early childhood, K-12, and postsecondary), creating a disconnected chain of educational experiences for students. Recently, work has begun to integrate these sectors into a coherent whole and the concept of a learning continuum has emerged. A learning continuum aligns curriculum and instruction across developmental levels and grades, shares goals for student readiness and proficiency, and communicates and coordinates among caregivers, educators, and families to support student learning. To study the current status of learning continuum activities in Illinois, a panel of early childhood and K-12 representatives convened in 2008 …

Culturally-Relevant Information Literacy: A Case Study, Rob Morrison

Dissertations

Information Literacy is a process for finding, using, evaluating and incorporating information into an individuals’ knowledge base. This process has been formalized into the ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. The concept of Information Literacy as articulated in the ACRL Standards is based on Western knowledge and ways of knowing that resides in academic disciplines. This knowledge is privileged and regarded as universal, rational, and superior to other forms of knowledge and does not incorporate or reflect non-Western epistemologies. This study questioned the universality of this process as reflective of being grounded in Western culture and knowledge.

The …

“The Negro Speaks Of Rivers” An African Centered Historical Study Of The Selfethnic Liberatory Education Nature And Goals Of The Poetry Of Langston Hughes: The Impact On Adult Education, Sarah E. Howard

Dissertations

The purposes of this historical study were to 1) document the Selfethnic Liberatory adult education nature and goals of the poetry of Langston Hughes (from 1921 to 1933); and 2) to document the impact this poetry had on members of the African Diaspora. In addition, the goal of this research was to expand the historical knowledge base of the adult education field, so that it is more inclusive of the contributions of African Americans.

This study addressed the problem that the historical and philosophical literature of the field does not to any significant degree include the intellectual and adult education …

Synchronicity Of The Community College Mission And The Role And Responsibilities Of Academic Advisors, Zalika A. Brown

Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to identify how the role and responsibilities of academic advisors support the mission of community colleges; to explore how academic advising is viewed by community college administrators and academic advisors; and to explore how academic advisors play a vital role in retaining students until they have completed their program of choice.

There is a strong link between the community college mission and the job functions performed by academic advisors; however, there is a lack of knowledge and understanding about how academic advisors can play a vital role in achieving the goals established by the …

The Effects Of Reading Nonfiction Aloud On The Vocabulary Acquisition Of Middle-School Students, Patricia Ann Braun

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if eighth-graders could acquire vocabulary incidentally while listening to nonfiction read-alouds connected to the physical sciences curriculum. In this quasi-experimental study 3 of 6 intact eighth-grade science classes listened to 14 nonfiction read-aloud selections of nonfiction passages selected from books not commonly found in schools but which related to the curriculum which the students would be experiencing in eighth grade. Pretests and posttests were administered to all 6 classes comprising 154 students. Reading ability was included as a variable. Target words comprised of technical and nontechnical words. Assessments included a vocabulary matching …

Proceedings Of The 50th Annual Adult Education Research Conference, Randee Lipson Lawrence

Adult Education Research Conference Proceedings

This document contains the full text proceedings of the Adult Education Research Conference (AERC) held at National-Louis University in May 2009.

Doc 6 Research Forum Abstracts, Tom Heaney

Doctoral Research Forums

This document provides titles and abstracts of doctoral students critical engagement projects held at a Research Forum April 17-19, 2009 in Chicago. These students are Cohort 6 in the Adult and Continuing Education program in the College of Arts and Sciences at National-Louis University.

Global Competency In Hospitality Management Programs: A Perfect Recipe For Community Colleges, David Jonathan Beer

Dissertations

Globalization is redefining and transforming interactions between people all over the world. Although nations differ in their level of globalization, it is critical in this day and age that nations foster global competency in their citizens and students. Education is one key area in developing and promoting global competency. For the United States, creation of a dynamic workforce, both domestic and abroad, is imperative if America is going to compete in a global society. Students who have a diverse and knowledgeable view of the world, can communicate in another language, and can exhibit cross-cultural adaptability, will be able to efficiently …

A Study Of Exceptional Mentoring Insights For Adult Education And Emerging Mentors, Laura Lee Larson

Dissertations

The purpose of this critical engagement project was to focus on how mentoring relationships positively impact personal and professional lives -- what I call exceptional mentoring. This was a qualitative study using a narrative inquiry methodology and the theoretical framework of transformational leadership. There were five participants in the study who are known in the industry to be exceptional mentors because of their dedication and passion for caring about others. The research method included one-on-one interviews lasting between two and five hours. The study explored the life stories of these individuals with the intent to learn how people become mentors, …

White Lies: A Critical Race Study Of Power And Privilege, Patricia Jones Brainard

Dissertations

This was a phenomenological study of racial privilege as experienced by White people who have struggled to become more racially aware and socially active in dismantling racism and White privilege. The primary conceptual framework for this study was Critical Race Theory with Transformative Learning theory and Racial Identity Development as additional theoretical lenses. The purpose of this study was to increase our awareness of how White people come to understand their racial privilege and what change in behavior occurs as a result of that increased awareness. Its goal was to promote and influence White adult educators to find explicit ways …

Strategic Planning Leadership In Illinois Community Colleges: Who Is Leading The Process?, Tasha S. Williams

Dissertations

Planning is believed to bring stability, growth and reassurance to our lives. Since the recent economic downturn in the U.S. economy, individuals, families, small businesses, and major corporations are all looking to planners to assess every aspect of their financial futures. So, when it comes to our community colleges, the fabric of higher education in America, who is leading the planning process?

The 21st century will continue to unveil new challenges for community colleges. Beset with many challenges such as an austere funding environment, growing diverse student populations, community issues and needs, impending leadership and faculty retirements, globalization, and mounting …

A Window Into The Business Practices Of Family Child Care Providers, Mccormick Center For Early Childhood Leadership

McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership Publications

This Research Notes offers a window into the business practices of licensed or registered family child care providers across the country so that agencies tasked with improving family child care quality can structure technical assistance efforts effectively based on aspects of provider practices that are in most need of support and resources.

Headed For The Heartland: Decision-Making Factors For International Students To Attend Rural And Suburban Community College In Illinois, Eric John Bohman

Dissertations

Despite record growth in international student enrollment at community colleges, little is known about how the international students learn about community colleges and ultimately decide to attend. The purpose of this research is to identify what factors lead international students to decide to attend Illinois community colleges. Furthermore, this study explores both the knowledge students had about community colleges and the sources of this information prior to their decision to attend.

The research study utilized a multi-theoretical framework encompassing world culture theory, push-pull theory, and cognitive decision making theory. Using a qualitative case study design, thirteen international students from four …

Transformative Learning In The Multiple Sclerosis (Ms) Community An Ethnographic Study Examining How And In What Ways Transformative Learning Is Realized And Lived Out Among Members Of An Ms Community., Mary N. Lewis

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how transformative learning takes place in the lives of participants who are in the MS community with the hope of identifying coping strategies and motivational factors influencing transformative learning. This research also seeks to discover and examine the lived experiences, meaning and consequent changes made in the lives of the research participants. The focus of this research asks how and in what ways the learning process differs prior to and after a diagnosis of MS and how these individuals reconstruct their lives after experiencing the day-to-day challenges brought about by this disease. …

Higher Education And The New Capitalism: Social Enterprise Partnerships And The Opportunity For Community Colleges, Rosanna S. Diaz

Dissertations

In the current economic climate, driven by their mission of open access, affordability, and a desire to help all of their constituent communities, community colleges are under increasing pressure to service a rapidly expanding and increasingly diverse group of students with fewer and fewer resources. Declining budgets and a burgeoning enrollment spurred by the recent economic downturn have forced community colleges to become more entrepreneurial in the ways that they develop new programs and find alternative revenue streams. (Wiers, 2007; Dingfelder, 2007).

A critical concern for community colleges is that the business paradigm that fuels the increasing pressure to produce …

Righteous Commitment: Renewing, Repairing, And Restoring The World—Wangari Maathai And The Green Belt Movement, Jennifer Lara Simka Kushner

Dissertations

This Africentric historical inquiry introduces Wangari Maathai, 2004 Nobel Peace Prize recipient and internationally renowned Kenyan activist, as a visionary adult educator and leader of the liberatory environmental movement -The Green Belt Movement. The Movement addresses decades of mis-education through culturally grounded adult education activities that help communities understand the linkages between environmental degradation and poor governance, and educate people to participate in democracy.

The study describes Maathai’s philosophy and how it informed her leadership of environmental, political, and social change. The African philosophical framework of Maat, and the principle of serudj-ta (repairing, renewing and restoring the world) provide a …

Identifying And Addressing Issues Faced By New Community College Presidents, Anthony Raymond Miksa

Dissertations

The American community college system is in the midst of a leadership crisis. Community college presidents are retiring at an alarming rate. Further exacerbating the leadership crisis is the lack of qualified candidates to replace the retiring presidents. Senior administrators at community colleges who are the natural choice to replace the retirees are also retiring or choosing not to pursue a presidency. The overarching purpose driving this research was to identify the challenges encountered by new community college presidents, seek to comprehend the information gathering method utilized by new presidents to identify challenges, and finally, to present the strategies the …