Education Commons^™

The Relationship Of Personality Traits To Satisfaction With The Team: A Study Of Interdisciplinary Teacher Teams In Rhode Island Middle Schools, Michele D. Humbyrd, Robert K. Gable

Teacher Education

Shared practice in schools has emerged; teachers are moving from isolation to team collaboration where personality traits could be related to quality interactions. Team personality traits and team satisfaction were examined. A survey and interview approach was used for N = 244 full-time teachers from N = 49 interdisciplinary teams at N = 7 middle schools. Descriptive, correlational, multiple regression analyses and coded themes about team members’ personalities and interactions were employed. No significant relationships were found between the BFI traits and Satisfaction with the Team. Team-level analysis indicated a significant negative correlation between Satisfaction with theTeam and Extraversion and …

Assessment Brief: The Eportfolio Process And Student Learning, Rowanna L. Carpenter

University Studies Assessment Research

An analysis of student survey results relating ePortfolio classroom practices to students' reported learning.

Lessons Of Mastery Learning, Thomas R. Guskey

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

The core elements of mastery learning provide the foundation for other innovative models, including Response to Intervention.

Australian Apprentice Retention Pilot Project: Report To Megt, Justin Brown, Phillip Mckenzie, Adrian Beavis

Transition and Post-School Education and Training

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) was engaged in February 2010 by MEGT to conduct research on the retention of first-year apprentices participating in the MEGT mentoring and social networking program. Sponsored by DEEWR, the Australian Apprentice Retention Pilot Project aims to improve the retention of apprentices in skills shortage trades. The project involves the provision of mentors to support apprentices at three sites: in Queensland (Logan/Ipswich); New South Wales (Western Sydney); and Victoria (Southeast Melbourne). The role of the mentors is to visit the apprentice and maintain ongoing contact through social networking tools such as Facebook and Twitter …

Using Television To Improve Learning Opportunities For Indigenous Children, Michele Lonsdale

Indigenous Education Research

This report is based on a review of the literature on the importance of early childhood learning, the nature of Indigenous learning needs, and the role of educational television programs in improving learning outcomes for preschool-aged children. The report is intended to provide an evidence base for a proposal to develop an educational television program aimed primarily at Indigenous children from three to six years. (In this report the term ‘Indigenous’ refers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.) There is an extensive body of research that shows the critical importance of early childhood in children’s learning and development, including for …

Nefdc Exchange, Volume 21, Number 1, Fall 2010, New England Faculty Development Consortium

NEFDC Exchange

Contents

Message from the President - Tom Thibodeau, New England Institute of Technology

From the editors - Jeanne Albert, Donna Qualters, Naomi Migliacci, Gouri Banerjee, and Deborah Hirsch

Fall 2010 Conference; Friday, November 19, 2010, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States; theme: Better Teaching – Better Learning: Reflective Practices for Faculty and Students; keynote speaker: Dan Willingham, University of Virginia

An excerpt from, Why Don’t Students Like School? - Dan Willingham, University of Virginia

NEFDC Fall 2010 Conference Agenda

Connecting with others

The Benefits of Formal and Informal Reflective Practices - Art McGovern, Nichols College

Seven Ways …

2010 Exit Survey Of Graduate Students Completing Degrees Fall 2009, Winter 2010, Spring 2010, And Summer 2010: Descriptive Statistics, John M. Krieg, Beth Hartsoch, Linda D. (Linda Darlene) Clark, Grant Fosheim, Michael Barr

Office of Institutional Effectiveness

Executive Summary: The 2010 Exit Survey of Graduate Students Completing Degrees continues the Office of Survey Research’s (OSR) survey of Graduate students first initiated in 2009. The current survey was administered at the end of each quarter to graduate students slated to graduate that quarter. This report summarizes responses from students who graduated in Fall 2009, Winter 2010, Spring 2010, and Summer 2010. With the help of the Assistant Dean of the Graduate School, this survey was designed to elicit information on program satisfaction, the frequency and scope of academic interaction on and off campus, barriers to success, and plans …

2010 Exit Survey Of Graduate Students Completing Degrees Fall 2009, Winter 2010, Spring 2010, And Summer 2010: Descriptive Statistics, John M. Krieg, Beth Hartsoch, Linda D. (Linda Darlene) Clark, Grant Fosheim, Michael Barr

Office of Institutional Effectiveness

Executive Summary: The 2010 Exit Survey of Graduate Students Completing Degrees continues the Office of Survey Research’s (OSR) survey of Graduate students first initiated in 2009. The current survey was administered at the end of each quarter to graduate students slated to graduate that quarter. This report summarizes responses from students who graduated in Fall 2009, Winter 2010, Spring 2010, and Summer 2010. With the help of the Assistant Dean of the Graduate School, this survey was designed to elicit information on program satisfaction, the frequency and scope of academic interaction on and off campus, barriers to success, and plans …

Enrollment Report - Fall 2010, Uno Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Enrollment Reports

The Enrollment Report provides administrative and delivery-site information on enrollment headcount and student credit hours, as well as the demographic characteristics of enrolled students. The purpose of this profile is to provide the undergraduate and graduate enrollments and student credit hour information by college or equivalent academic unit, class, gender and ethnicity.

Teacher Professional Development Models: Inquiry Into Concurrent Versus Separate Technology And Pedagogical Knowledge And Use, Brooke Robertshaw, Jeffery Olsen, Andrew Walker

The Instructional Architect Research Group

Examining two iterations of a teacher professional development workshop series, a qualitative inquiry into the extent to which teacher espoused knowledge and in-use teacher knowledge was affected by teaching technology skills concurrently and separately with the problem-based learning model was examined. Using data collected from pre-post surveys and journals, a stratified purposeful selection of three participants from both workshop iterations were selected based on overall PBL and self-reported technology knowledge scores.

Public-Private Partnerships, Civic Engagement, And School Reform, Theodore J. Kowalski

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

The number of partnerships between public schools and private organizations increased dramatically after the National Commission on Excellence in Education (1983) issued its report "A Nation at Risk." ... In this essay, I propose an uncommon perspective of public-private partnerships in the United States—one that calls for direct citizen involvement to ensure that collaboration is linked to and compatible with reform efforts carried out at the local (school district) level. The need for a new conceptualization is framed by three convictions: public-private partnerships have been largely ineffective in terms of improving instruction and student learning; democratic deficits in these ventures …

Common Data Set 2010, Uno Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Common Data Sets

Common Data Set (2010 - 2011) for the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

How Different Variants Of Orbit Diagrams Influence Students' Explanations Of The Seasons, Victor R. Lee

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

The cause of the seasons is often associated with a very particular alternative conception: that the Earth’s orbit around the sun is highly elongated and the differences in distance result in variations in temperature. It has been suggested that the standard diagrams used to depict the Earth’s orbit may be in some way responsible for the initial appearance and overall maintenance of this incorrect conceptualization; the elongated shape of the orbit is thought of as a conceptualization cue that invites a fairly predictable way of reasoning. To test if that is indeed the case, six variants of diagrams depicting differently …

2010 Fall Nutshell, Morehead State University. Institutional Research & Analysis.

Office of Institutional Research & Analysis Publication Archive

Fall 2010 issue of the Nutshell.

From Failing To Effective: A Case Study Of Transformational Leadership And Teaching At A Township High School In Durban, South Africa, Kathlyn Pattillo

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Research has documented what leadership qualities are necessary to improve an underperforming disadvantaged school in South Africa. This research has called for further study of effective township schools in order to understand what makes them succeed. This research project will offer a case study of one such school’s transformation from low to high quality. Menzi High School, an entirely African, under-resourced township school in Umlazi, has achieved extraordinarily high matric pass rates despite the fact that the majority of learners live in informal settlements. The school’s success is due to the strong leadership of a principal who has led the …

"Beyond Bio2010: Celebration And Opportunities" At The Intersection Of Mathematics And Biology, John R. Jungck, Holly D. Gaff, Adam P. Fagen, Jay B. Labov

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

With this special edition of CBE-LSE, which focuses on connections between and integration of the biological and mathematical sciences, it is especially fitting that we report on an important symposium, Beyond BIO2010: Celebration and Opportunities,1 which was held at the National Acad- emy of Sciences (NAS) in Washington, D.C. on May 21–22, 2010. This symposium was organized to assess what progress has been made in addressing the challenges and recommendations in the National Research Council’s (NRC) report: BIO2010: Transforming Undergraduate Education for Future Research Biologists (NRC, 2003a). Most of the presen- tations and posters at this event emphasized the increasing …

High School End-Of-Course Exams Show Proficiency Gains For 2010, Nathan C. Jensen, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

In July, the ADE released results for the 2009-10 end-ofcourse (EOC) exams given in Algebra I, Geometry, and Biology administered in April 2010. These results followed the Grade 11 Literacy results released in June. First, we present statewide 2010 results compared to last year. Second, test scores are examined across the state by districts' region, poverty level, and size. Third, we consider the performance of Arkansas students on other assessments to see if these results are consistent with EOC results.

Explicitly Differentiated Eighth-Grade Reading Instruction In A Rural Middle School Seeking To Reestablish Adequate Yearly Progress Benchmarks, John W. Hill, Sean Dunphy

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of explicitly differentiated reading instruction on eighth-grade students’ reading comprehension assessment scores and classroom reading grade scores in a rural middle school seeking to reestablish satisfactory No Child Left Behind, Adequate Yearly Progress, benchmarks. After one school year of participation in assessment-based and readiness-focused explicitly differentiated instruction, randomly assigned students across all three reading ability conditions high (n = 25), middle (n = 25), and low (n = 25) had statistically significantly improved pretest-posttest reading comprehension assessment scores and classroom reading grade scores. Furthermore, statistical equipoise was observed for posttest-posttest …

Educational Outcomes Of English Language Learners In Massachusetts: A Focus On Latino/A Students, Faye Karp, Miren Uriarte

Gastón Institute Publications

This report analyzes trends in enrollment and outcomes for English Language Learner stu- dents (ELLs), a growing population in Massachusetts, in the post–Question 2 policy envi- ronment. Where possible, the report presents data on Latino students of Limited English Proficiency (LEP).

Few LEP students, and few of the native Spanish speakers among them, reach the highest level of English language proficiency as measured by the Massachusetts English Proficiency Assessment (MEPA).Though some improvements have been seen in terms of Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) performance and graduation rates, the rates remain low and the persistence of large gaps between LEPs and …

The State Of Latinos And Education In Massachusetts: 2010, Billie Gastic, Melissa Colón, Andrew Flannery Aguilar

Gastón Institute Publications

Schools are critical public institutions for Latino youth in the Commonwealth, who make up 15% of the public school enrollment in the state. Sadly, despite leading the nation in student achievement, Massachusetts is still leaving its Latino students behind. This is evident from several indicators of Latino students’ academic success. School attendance is a significant concern since Latino students lose an average of more than two and a half weeks of school each year due to absences. Latino students are also frequently disciplined for behavioral is- sues at school. Latinos account for 23% of the incidents that result in disciplinary …

Act 60: The Past, Present, And Future Of School Consolidation In Arkansas, Nathan C. Jensen, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

Since its passage in 2004, Arkansas’ Act 60 has had a major impact on the smallest school districts in Arkansas. The law requires school districts to be consolidated if their enrollment drops below 350 for two consecutive years. This policy brief will report on the numbers and types of schools and districts that have closed since the passage of Act 60. Moreover, the brief will evaluate the enrollment trends to predict which school districts are “at-risk” of being consolidated for dropping below the 350 student threshold established by Act 60. The data for this policy brief is excerpted from a …

Seeking Relevance: Toward A Strategic Plan For Political Science, Robert Maranto, Dirk C. Van Raemdonck

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

Surveys suggest that in the 1970s most political scientists wished they had chosen a different profession, a true tragedy, as Ricci (1984) writes. We discuss the causes of alienation, but also offer data suggesting that the situation had improved markedly by 1999. We speculate that this has much to do with a better job market and more realistic expectations about that job market. Nonetheless, all is not well. Both conservative senators and prominent political scientists continue to question the importance of Political Science (e.g., Cohen 1999). The APSA has attempted to increase its relevance by returning to its Progressive roots, …

Dropouts To Diplomas: Closing The Attainment Gap In Connecticut High Schools, Richard A. Wilson

Research Papers

The Connecticut Advisory Committee submits this report, Dropouts to Diplomas: Closing the Attainment Gap in Connecticut High Schools, as part of its responsibility to advise the Commission on civil rights issues in Connecticut. Based on the briefings, the Connecticut Advisory Committee offers this report and findings and recommendations with the aim of improving high school graduation rates in economically disadvantaged school districts and across the state. In distilling best practices, the report focuses on school culture, school leadership, teacher evaluation, teacher retention, parental involvement, data collection, English language learners, and the General Educational Development test.

Frinq Faculty Retreat, Portland State University. University Studies Program

University Studies Assessment Research

Presentation to FRINQ faculty on two projects connecting ePortfolio data with survey data focused on our Communication (writing) and Diversity learning goals.

Teach For Australia Pathway : Evaluation Report Phase 1 Of 3 (April-July 2010), Catherine Scott, Paul R. Weldon, Stephen Dinham

Teacher education

This Report (Part 1) is designed to provide a summary of data gathered on the operation of the Teach for Australia Pathway to date.

Data were collected via site visits with schools and phone interviews with the program partners, the Associates, their mentors, principals and other school personnel, and the Educational Advisers over April through July 2010.

The information gathered to date aims to provide early feedback on how the program is being implemented – to synthesise emerging themes in the delivery of the program and to inform future development and implementation.

School Attendance And Retention Of Indigenous Australian Students, Nola Purdie, Sarah Buckley

Indigenous Education Research

Engagement in education is a key factor affecting the life chances of all Australians, and for Indigenous Australians in particular. Higher levels of educational attainment improve employment opportunities, are associated with higher income and promote participation in all societal activities. This paper evaluates the quality of available evidence regarding strategies for improving school attendance, with emphasis on Australian research. It examines the causes and consequences of non-attendance; measures of attendance and retention; examples of existing programs and initiatives; different program approaches, such as sanctions, incentives, and cultural relevance; what constitutes good evidence; what works in attendance and retention programs; and …

Electronic Course Evaluations At Western Washington University: A Report Of The Spring Quarter, 2010 Pilot, John M. Krieg, Beth Hartsoch

Office of Institutional Effectiveness

Electronic course evaluations are becoming a popular, inexpensive substitute for traditional paper course evaluations. Electronic evaluations are easy to implement, reduce the impact on instructor time, are more uniform in their administration, and can reduce printing and paper costs. Further, some usually unexpected benefits can accrue from electronic evaluations. For instance, students appear to respond in more detail to open ended electronic questions than they would to the same question posed in paper format. While there are clear benefits from electronic course evaluations, there also exist pitfalls. Research suggests students view electronic evaluations as less anonymous thereby bringing into question …

Against The Odds: Influences On The Post-School Success Of 'Low Performers', Sue Thomson, Kylie Hillman

Transition and Post-School Education and Training

The link between academic achievement and labour market outcomes is well established. But how well does a student's achievement in a test predict their later success in life? This study examines this question, with 'success' considered to encompass satisfaction with life together with the extent to which young people are fully occupied with education, employment or a combination of these. Low performers in mathematics in the 2003 Programme for International Student Assessment were the focus. The study found that 'low performing' status has little impact on future success. Further, students who saw the value of mathematics for their future success …

Perceptions Of Self-Concept And Actual Academic Performance In Math And English Among High School Students In Kenya, Winnie Mucherah, Felicia Dixon, Kylie Hartley, Travis Hardin

Publications and Scholarship

This study examined the relationship between self-concept and students’ academic performance in math and English for high school students in Kenya. Participants included 1990 students from two same sex boarding schools-one for boys and the other for girls. Results showed there were sex and grade differences in academic performance and most aspects of self-concept. Specifically, girls did better in math. Performance in English was not significantly different. Grade level differences showed a downward trend relative to norms in both math and English performance with the lower grade levels performing better. This trend possibly related to the changing standards by the …

Unfair Way To Evaluate Teachers: Test Scores About More Than Classroom, Aaron W. Hughey

Counseling & Student Affairs Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.