Education Commons^™

A Relationship Among Public School Leadership, Ethics, And Student Achievement, Don Jones, Christopher Hughes

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

ABSTRACT

Historically, it has always been important for school leaders to possess and adhere to high ethical standards. Ethical standards, when demonstrated by school leaders, inspire trust within students, parents and the community in general. This in turn builds support for the school and establishes an environment that is conducive to success.

However, with the advent of NCLB and high stakes testing, the pressure on schools to demonstrate improved student achievement has accelerated. Hence, the need for ethical leadership practices within public schools has never been greater. Yet, while much has been done to examine the relationship of various instructional …

Western And You Parent/Family Academy, Shari Glaser

Academic Leadership Academy

The Western and YOU Parent/Family Academy is a newly created interactive classroom experience that took place during the 2011 Orientation program. It provided an opportunity for family members to experience (or re-experience) the classroom environment. The course offered a hands-on approach in educating our families to better understand and assist students through the transition of attending college.

A Qualitative Assessment Of Non-Traditional Graduate Student Cohort Experiences At A Wmu Regional Location, Amy Routhier

Academic Leadership Academy

Objective: Evaluate the non-traditional graduate student cohort program experience (marketing, competition, decision-making process, and student services) at a WMU regional location and provide recommendations for the program that will result in increased satisfaction and program enrollment.

James D. Dougan Award For Contributions To Faculty Governance, Iwu Chapter Of The Aaup, Illinois Wesleyan University

Chapter Activities

No abstract provided.

Paradoxes Of Online Teaching, David E. Bair, Mary A. Bair

Peer Reviewed Articles

While much attention is paid to students’ experiences in online courses, there is sparse information regarding the experiences of faculty who teach online. Two university instructors address this gap in the literature and present an analysis of their experiences teaching graduate and undergraduate teacher-education classes at a university in the Midwestern United States. In this collaborative self-study, the authors analyze data consisting of their reflections and discussions, anonymous student surveys, anonymous course evaluations, and online observations by other faculty. They argue that online instruction poses several paradoxes. These paradoxical experiences illuminate the need for additional research about faculty experiences with …

Panther First Recipients Of 2011, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Panther First Awards

The Panther First Award identifies and rewards employees who have provided excellent customer service to customers, co-workers, or other members of the UNI community. This is the list of recipients from 2011.

Web 2.0 Technologies For Classroom Instruction: High School Teachers' Perceptions And Adoption Factors, Berta Hayes Capo, Anymir Orellana

Faculty Articles

Web 2.0 technologies have potential for teaching and learning, but show a slow rate of adoption in education. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that contribute to high school teachers' intention to use Web 2.0 technologies for classroom instruction. Research questions examined were (a) To what extent are high school teachers using Web 2.0 technologies for classroom instruction? (b) What opinions do high school teachers have regarding Web 2.0 technologies for classroom instruction? (c) Which factors best predict the decision of high school teachers to adopt or not Web 2.0 technologies for classroom instruction? The decomposed …

Game Design As An Educational Pedagogy, Michael K. Barbour, Kathy Clesson, Meghan Adams

Education Faculty Publications

In this paper, the researchers explored the use of homemade PowerPoint games as a pedagogy strategy. This quasi-experimental study examined whether there were performance differences between students in a class that utilized the teachers’ traditional methods of reviewing for a unit exam and students in a second class that utilized homemade PowerPoint games. The analysis of variance indicated that there was no statistically significant difference in the performance or the level of improvement between the two classes, which may have been due to the small sample size. These results are consistent with other studies of homemade PowerPoint games.

Education On Conceptual Modeling For Simulation- Beyond The Craft: A Summary Of A Recent Expert Panel Discussion, Durk-Jouke Van Der Zee, Andreas Tolk, Mike Pidd, Kathy Kotiadis, Antuela A. Tako

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Percentile Growth Modeling: A Policy Response To Educational Accountability, Martin Reardon

MERC Publications

No abstract provided.

Perspectives On Deepening Teachers’ Mathematics Content Knowledge: The Case Of The Oregon Mathematics Leadership Institute, Libby Knott, Martha Vancleave

Faculty Publications

The Oregon Mathematics Leadership Institute (OMLI) project served 180 Oregon teachers, and 90 administrators, across the K-12 grades from ten partner districts. OMLI offered a residential, three-week summer institute. Over the course of three consecutive summers, teachers were immersed in a total of six mathematics content classes– Algebra, Data & Chance, Discrete Mathematics, Geometry, Measurement & Change, and Number & Operations—along with an annual collegial leadership course. Each content class was designed and taught by a team of expert faculty from universities, community colleges, and K-12 districts. Each team chose a few “big ideas” on which to focus the course. …

Nomads In Diaspora Space: Exploring Women's Indentity Work In The University, Sarah O'Shea

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

How individuals position themselves as ‘students’ within the university landscape can provide insight into the personal and actual experience of entering this environment. This article will explore how one group of female students narrated their identity work as they moved through the first year of study in an Australian university. These students were all first in the family to attend university and some had had a significant gap between educational experiences. In depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals as they commenced university study and these were repeated at four points during the year; this series of conversations captured the …

Understanding The Design Context For Australian University Teachers: Implications For The Future Of Learning Design, Susan Bennett, Lisa Thomas, Shirley Agostinho, Lori Lockyer, Jennifer Jones, Barry Harper

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Based on the premise that providing support for university teachers in designing for their teaching will ultimately improve the quality of student learning outcomes, recent interest in the development of support tools and strategies has gained momentum. This article reports on a study that examined the context in which Australian university teachers design in order to understand what role design support tools and strategies could play. In-depth interviews were conducted with 30 academics across 16 Australian universities. The findings suggest that most Australian university teachers have a high degree of flexibility in their design decisions suggesting that opportunities exist for …

A Cross Sectional Study Of Pre-Service Teacher Efficacy Throughout The Training Years, Stuart Woodcock

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Teachers’ judgments in their ability to motivate students and promote learning can play a vital role in determining a student’s performance in the classroom and once a belief has been held for a long time, it can become difficult to change. Utilising a sample of 467 beginner and final year pre-service teachers training to become primary (elementary) and secondary teachers, the aim of this study was to examine to what extent pre-service teachers’ level of teacher efficacy changed during their teacher training years. Results showed that the training courses for primary school teachers appeared to have no influence on teacher …

Turning The Switch On! The Teachers’ Ability To Influence Student Motivation In Physical Education, Dana Perlman, Philip J. Pearson, Kim Mckeen, Gregory J. Forrest

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Student motivation is an area of importance in physical education due to the association with enhanced levels of effort, participation and aspects of learning (Tjeerdsma-Blankenship, 2008; Chen, 2001). Physical education specialists are routinely challenged by students who demonstrate behaviours indicative of low levels of motivation, such as high rates of absenteeism and severely low levels of active participation within the class setting (Ntoumanis, Peensgaard, Martin & Pipe, 2004). Bryan and Solmon (2007) indicate that the teacher is a primary driver for the development and implementation of experiences that support and/or thwart student motivation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was …

Ustart@Uow And Ustart2@Uow: A Comprehensive Approach To Supporting Commencing Students From Low Socio-Economic Backgrounds, Sarah O'Shea, Pauline Lysaght, Yvonne Kerr

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Students from low socio-economic backgrounds as well as those who are the first in family to attend university often report feeling that they don’t ‘belong’ at university (James, Krause & Jennings, 2010; O’Shea, 2008). The isolation they sometimes experience may be exacerbated when families are unable to provide personal support through a basic lack of knowledge and understanding of university life. This nuts and bolts session explores two initiatives introduced at the University of Wollongong to support commencing students from low socio-economic backgrounds and to provide information for their families. The session will provide details about how this framework was …

The Secret Of Excellence In Student Services - A Case Example Of Cross-Institution Collaboration And Cooperation, Cathy Stone, Annie Andrews, Melissa Moore, Allison Cahill, Sarah O'Shea, David Said

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Preservice Teachers' Views Of Inclusive Education: A Content Analysis, Brian Hemmings, Stuart Woodcock

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Survey-based research was conducted with pre-service teachers, from a large regional Australian university, to explore their views about inclusion and their readiness to teach in inclusive classrooms. Open-ended questions were included in the survey to glean information on the respondents’ feelings and concerns about inclusion and inclusive practices. In addition, questions were framed to allow the respondents to discuss ways that the University could better prepare them as practising teachers. The responses to each of these questions were content analysed to delineate categories, and frequencies were calculated on the most salient categories. The results of this analysis are reported and …

Esl Teachers And Pronunciation Pedagogy: Exploring The Development Of Teachers' Cognitions And Classroom Practices, Amanda A. Baker

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Over the past few decades, increasing more research has examined the cognitions (knowledge and beliefs) of second language (L2) teachers. Such research has provided insight into what constitutes teachers' beliefs and knowledge about teaching, how these cognitions have developed and how they are reflected in classroom practice (see Borg, 2006). Although numerous studies have been conducted into the curricular areas of grammar and, to a lesser extent, reading and writing, even fewer have examined teachers' cognitions into pronunciation instruction. The purpose of the present study, therefore, is to explore some of the dynamic relationships that exist between L2 teachers‘ cognitions …

Online Practice & Offline Roles: A Cultural View Of Teachers’ Low Engagement In Online Communities, Sarah Howard, Jonathan Mckeown

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

An online community of practice (CoP) can extend teachers’ professional interaction beyond their school, but these practices are often underutilized. Using cultural theory, this paper proposes that teachers’ low engagement in online CoPs is that this “practice” is not part of their role as a teacher, individually or in their school culture. These ideas are examined through teachers’ low engagement in an online CoP as part of a research project. Findings suggest that teachers saw the online community as part of their role in the project, not as part of their “offline” role as a classroom teacher. The discussion conjectures …

Peer-Led Transition Strategies And The First Year Experience - Implementation, Implications And Insights, Sarah E. O'Shea, Pauline Lysaght

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

This presentation provides an overview of a peer-led transition strategy targeted at equity groups that the program chair has been involved in implementing at two separate universities. The difference between this and other programs is that this strategy is grounded within the actual experience of students, who design, develop and facilitate a program that provides authentic insight into the culture and environment of university life. Participants will hear how program was introduced, suggestions around initiation and feedback from program participants.

Canadian And Australian Pre-Service Teachers' Use, Confidence And Success In Various Behaviour Management Strategies, Andrea Reupert, Stuart Woodcock

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

The purpose of this study was twofold; first, to identify Australian and Canadian pre-service teachers’ use, confidence and success in various behaviour management strategies, and second, to identify significant differences between the two cohorts. Pooled data indicated that pre-service teachers most frequently employ low level corrective strategies, such as nonverbal body language, rather than strategies that serve to prevent student misbehaviour. The strategies pre-service teachers report most frequently employing were also those they felt most confident in. Australian pre-service teachers employ rewards significantly more, whilst Canadian pre-service teachers utilise preventative and differentiation strategies significantly more. Differences might be accounted for …

Designing Instruction For The Contemporary Learning Landscape, Fred Paas, Jeroen Van Merrienboer, Tamara Van Gog

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Using Computer-Based Tools To Self Manage Cognitive Load, Shirley Agostinho, Sharon Tindall-Ford, Kylie Roodenrys

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

This paper presents a work-in-progress exploring how learners can manage their own cognitive load through the use of computer-based tools. Cognitive load refers to the amount of mental processing undertaken in working memory by a learner. Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) has identified evidence-based design principles that inform the development of instructional materials to support the efficient use of working memory. Much of the CLT research has focused on how to present learners with optimally designed learning materials. There has been little research that has examined how learners can implement CLT design principles to manage their own cognitive load when exposed …

Developing Capabilities For Social Inclusion: Engaging Diversity Through Inclusive School Communities, Linda J. Graham, Valerie Harwood

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

The effort to make schools more inclusive, together with the pressure to retain students until the end of secondary school, has greatly increased both the number and educational requirements of students enrolling in their local school. Of critical concern, despite years of research and improvements in policy, pedagogy and educational knowledge, is the enduring categorisation and marginalization of students with diverse abilities. Research has shown that it can be difficult for schools to negotiate away from the pressure to categorise or diagnose such students, particularly those with challenging behaviour. In this paper, we highlight instances where some schools have responded …

Challenging Participants In Target Games Through Teaching Games For Understanding (Tgfu) And Creating And Defining Games, Philip J. Pearson, Paul I. Webb

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) places an emphasis on the play, where tactical and strategic problems are posed in a modified game environment, ultimately drawing upon students to make decisions. It places the focus of a lesson on the student in a game situation where cognitive skills such as ‘tactics’, decision-making and problem solving are critical....with isolated technique development utilised only when the student recognises the need for it’ (Webb and Thompson, 1998). In addition, games come under various categories: invasion, net/court/wall, striking/fielding and target games. The aim of target games is to get the implement either in or close …

Movement Skill Mastery In A Clinical Sample Of Overweight And Obese Children, Dylan P. Cliff, Anthony D. Okely, Anthea M. Magarey

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Creating Virtual Classrooms For Rural And Remote Communities, Kavita Rao, Michelle J. Eady, Patricia Edelen-Smith

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Rural and remote communities, in the United States as well as in other countries, often have only limited access to higher education. In order to pursue professional training or advanced degrees, people in these communities must leave home. This causes more than just a financial burden. Those with commitments to jobs, families, and traditional roles in the community find it difficult to leave home to further their education.

This is especially true for indigenous and native people. These people often live in villages or communities far from large cities and towns. Although they’re increasingly integrated with the modern world through …

Mapping Place: Further Delicacy In Circumstantiation, Shoshana J. Dreyfus, Pauline Jones

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

This chapter reports on our work on circumstantiation in order to better understand discursive construals of place. Our experiences teaching English literacy to students from diverse backgrounds have convinced us of the explanatory power of Systemic Functional Linguistics, particularly with respect to reading English texts. This work has been greatly assisted by our familiarity with the detailed descriptions of linguistic options provided by SFL theory. As analysts and educators, we have used the grammatical tools to identify the choices taken up (or not) by writers and to support discussions of those choices and their effects on meaning. Through this work, …

New Technologies To Support Language Learning, Lisa K. Kervin, Beverly M. Derewianka

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Language classrooms have always used technologies of various kinds, from the blackboard through to the language laboratory. In recent decades, however, there has been an explosion in the resources available to teachers, to the point where many feel overwhelmed. This chapter therefore, does not attempt to provide a comprehensive review of 'state of the art' technologies - primarily because the ground is shifting so rapidly that any such endeavour would soon be out of date. Rather, we have kept in mind an audience who are not necessarily interested in the finer points of technological innovations but who are seeking some …