Digital Commons Network^™

Portfolios As An Alternative Assessment Strategy In Second Language Instruction, Rhonda M. Borcherding

Graduate Research Papers

With the advent of research on multiple intelligences and individual differences, alternative methods of assessing individual strengths in content areas are needed. An integral part of the process of acquiring a second language involves these alternative methods of evaluating individual strengths. Portfolio assessment offers an alternative to conventional testing strategies for evaluating progress in second language learning. Portfolios provide meaningful methods to actively engage language students in the basic four modalities of literacy: listening, reading, speaking and writing a second language. Portfolios also can help promote and document the five standards of foreign language instruction: culture, communication, connection, comparisons and …

The Effects Of Computers And The Internet On Small Town America, Judith L. Clefisch

Graduate Research Papers

Computers and the Internet have changed the way small town America operates. The infusion of technology has allowed rural areas to be competitive with residents in urban areas in education, business, and personal fulfillment. Computerized systems have made the workplace more efficient and effective. The Internet connects rural areas to the rest of the country, even the world. Just because a small town atmosphere appears to be in a different era with its quiet streets and friendly people, this does not necessarily indicate that the small town has not kept up with the technology era. A small town can have …

Poweshiek County Historical And Genealogical Society Web Site Project, Shelley Cranston

Graduate Research Papers

A web site for the Poweshiek County Historical and Genealogical Society was developed in consultation with officers and members of the society. The goal is to promote the preservation and dissemination of historical and genealogical information with regard to Poweshiek County, Iowa and its citizens. This paper highlights the process involved and some of the key features of the web site. Recommendations for future additions to the web site are also included.

An Investigation Into The English Language Needs Of Electrical Engineering Students : A Case Study, Magandran Malayappan

Student Works (2000-2009)

The study is an attempt to identify the needs of Diploma of Electrical Engineering students in Ungku Omar Polytechnic. It aims to contribute to the English Language Department of the Polytechnic and the parties concerned, essential findings that forms a basis for course revision and development in its present English Language programme. This study researches in some depth into the area of needs for English, concentrating on the students' needs in respect of reading, speaking, writing and listening. The aims of the study are to find out: What are the present needs of the UOP Diploma of Electrical Engineering students? …

The Effects Of Use Of A Metacognitive Strategy On The Language Anxiety Of Missionaries At The Missionary Training Center, Laura Millet Bichon

Theses and Dissertations

Language anxiety is a form of anxiety that can negatively affect language learners by disrupting their cognitive processing, by rendering their learning experience unpleasant, and by reducing the quantity and quality of their language production. The language anxiety research contains many suggestions for anxiety reduction, one of these being the use of metacognitive language learning strategies. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a self-monitoring, metacognitive strategy called ASWE on the language anxiety levels of young male and female missionaries in the intensive language learning program at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. The ASWE …

Differential Perceptions Of English Teachers About The Teaching Of Literature In Seventh-Day Adventist Secondary Schools In Selected Regions Of The Caribbean, Shirley Ann Mcgarrell

Dissertations

Problem. Literature, as a subject in the English curriculum, is not taught in all Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) secondary schools in the Caribbean. This research attempts to investigate and document the reasons why this subject is not taught as part of the English curriculum in some schools and yet is taught in other schools. Literature, as a course of study, addresses philosophical, moral, ethical, and spiritual questions, and often teachers are not the central controllers in determining whether this subject should be taught in church-operated secondary schools. The literature teacher’s role could be pivotal in this situation, but only if …

Collaborative Education : Working Together Toward Accommodating All Learners In The Regular Classroom, Anita A. Quirk

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this article is to inform readers about the efficacy of collaborative teaching. A review of pull-out resource room structure is presented, focusing on the amount of time students miss from the regular classroom. Scheduling is mentioned as a concern, as pull-out students are away from their regular classroom peers and environment for extended periods of time. Its effective and appropriate links to PL 94-142, PL 101-476, and the IDEA are presented.

Collaborative teaching is then defined as an alternative to students being pulled out to receive resource room services. The premises of collaborative teaching are shared. Included …

Literacy In The Multiage Classroom : A Review Of The Research, Barbara Avaux Messer

Graduate Research Papers

Multi-age grouping has a long history and is once again being studied as a viable alternative to the age-graded education model. Research indicates that multi-age programs are academically effective as well as being beneficial in promoting feelings of self-efficacy in students. Our society has changed since the inception of the age-graded model and teachers today are looking at multi-age education as a way to meet the diverse needs of their students. Successful multi-age programs have similar characteristics, but each program needs to be designed to meet the needs of the community it serves. Specific teaching strategies, materials, and assessment methods, …

Middle School Intramural/Co-Curricular Programs, Andrew W. Strottman

Graduate Research Papers

Schools that have used an intramural program find students benefit socially, academically, and physically from these activities. Some schools have even seen a drop in teens getting into trouble in their communities with the implementation of an intramural program. The first portion of this project was to review the literature to find out: (1) what the benefits of an intramural program are at the middle school level, (2) what grade level or levels would benefit most from a program that involves many students in activities, and (3) what students are interested in doing after school as opposed to being unsupervised …

The Integrated Expressive Arts And Humanities : Coping With Curriculum Change, Linley Campbell

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The concept of curriculum integration in education has recently received increased attention. This has been largely due to the introduction of Learning Area Profiles, Statements and Outcomes, and most recently the Curriculum Framework. 'Integration, breadth and balance' is one of the seven key principles underlying The Curriculum Framework for Western Australian Schools. (Curriculum Council of Western Australia, 1998). Collectively, these documents emphasise the integration of knowledge, skills and values in the eight key learning areas of the curriculum. Such a holistic view of the curriculum is considered to be fundamental to sound educational practice.

Elements Of Writers Workshops In A Third Grade Classroom, Gale L. Nagunst

Graduate Research Papers

The act of writing is a natural process and should be treated as such. For children seven years and older, writing usually is not a linear act that follows a prescribed set of steps in a particular order, but a recursive process in which writers move forward and back through the different components of writing to make meaning. A classroom that includes writers workshops, or groups of children working together to interact about writing, must incorporate several important elements to allow this recursive, natural process to happen. These elements include classroom organization, ample writing time, models of writing, teacher instruction …

Book Clubs And Their Effect On Mother-Daughter Relationships, Kimberly Wise

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this research paper was to examine book clubs and how they affect the mother/daughter relationship. Thirteen seventh grade girls and their mothers began participating in the book club. The members were surveyed during the initial organizational meeting as to their conversational habits with one another as well as their perceptions of the quality of their mother/daughter relationship. The members then participated in several book club meetings. During the meetings discussions were held which included topics such as characterization, plot, theme, climate, tone, and voice. Mothers and daughters were asked to reflect upon their own life experiences in …

Understanding Of The Limit Of Functions Among College Students, Logesh K. Sivapakianathan

Student Works (2000-2009)

This study explored concept images and concept definitions of college students on limits of functions. Their views concerning the attainability of the limit and the extent to which they understood the stand taken by the formal view on this matter were also probed on. The sample comprised 10 students who had completed the Calculus and Analytic Geometry 1 course in the School of American University Studies at a private college in the Klang Valley. A questionnaire on beliefs about limits was administered to them and 4 students were then selected for a task-based interview on the attainability of the limit. …

The Effectiveness Of Vocabulary Activities In Enhancing The Speaking Ability Of Young Learners, Norazlina Mohd. Noor

Student Works (2000-2009)

This study was aimed at investigating the effectiveness of vocabulary activities in enhancing the speaking abilities of young learners. The subjects were fifteen standard four students with very low proficiency. The researcher used a qualitative approach for this study. A total of five vocabulary activities were carried out in this study. The topics of the vocabulary activities were food, clothes, descriptions, directions, and occupations. The vocabulary for each topic was introduced using different activities. In order to study if the new vocabulary was effective in encouraging students to speak, students then carried out speaking activities. The speaking activities were selected …

Senior Project: A Paradox In Critical Pedagogy, Mark Allen Winters

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations (1964–2006)

High school education is currently based upon technicist pedagogy, transforming education into mere technical training for the workforce. The regimen of testing in schools standardizes experiences and fails to provide a complete view of what students know and are able to do. Students need freedom to question and to insert their own interests into what they are studying. Such freedom provides more than preparation for graduation; it provides emancipatory education. I focused on a single curricular program—Senior Project. My research questioned, "Can Senior Project provide high school students with the freedom to study topics of personal interest and the freedom …

Assessing Moral Reasoning Development Through Values Education Within A Western Australian Independent School, Kelvin Fairclough

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The relationship between Values Education and corresponding moral reasoning development has been explored within a group of forty-six year eight students (twelve and thirteen years old). Participants were tested with a Sociomoral Reflection Objective Measure instrument to index their moral reasoning stage development (reported as a Moral Maturity Score). Randomly dividing the group into two equal proportions they were assigned to an Experimental or Control group. The Experimental group was presented with Values Education through exposure to age relevant moral dilemmas which envelope a societal value drawn from the Core Shared Values (Curriculum Council of Western Australia, 1998). Within each …

Portfolios--From Traditional To Digital : Research For Understanding And Implementation In The Art Classroom, Deb Ann Richmann

Graduate Research Papers

Portfolios are a method in which educators assess student work. The traditional portfolio is generally a collection of papers stored for an intended purpose. There are many types and purposes for portfolios. Technology, however, has yielded some inventive methods for managing the many papers in the portfolio in a digital format. This term, digital portfolio, represents a technological presentation of student work. The differences in hardware, software, and peripherals have been investigated in this review. Along with the tools for management, the implementation in an art classroom is explored. The sustaining impact of the digital portfolio in the art classroom …

On The Path: Pod As A Multicultural Organization, Christine A. Stanley, Matthew L. Ouellet

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Since 1993, the Professional and Organizational Development Network (POD) has made an increasingly stronger commitment to becoming a multicultural organization. Poised at the entrance to a new century, it seems useful to examine the current standing of this goal in the context of the overall growth and development of POD. In this article the authors take stock of the organization’s history related to multiculturalism, discuss POD’s current organizational strengths and challenges related to models of multicultural organizational development, and offer suggestions for further progress on the path to becoming a multicultural organization.

Qilt: An Approach To Faculty Development And Institutional Self–Improvement, Mike Laycock

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

In a climate of increasing emphasis on quality assurance and extra-institutional quality scrutiny, the author argues that faculty developers have a role in encouraging an enhancement-led culture. Faculty ownership of,and responsibility far, continuous quality improvement can help to provide an engagement with teaching and learning issues and may help to overcome resistance and mistrust. At the University of East London, UK, an enabling, whole-institutional framework called QILT (Quality Improvement in Learning and Teaching), whereby faculty create and implement funded improvement plans, has helped to generate this culture.

Finding Key Faculty To Influence Change, Joan K. Middendorf

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

To succeed in getting faculty to accept new teaching approaches, academic support professionals can benefit from the literature on planned change. By understanding the different rates at which faculty accept change, we can also identify the faculty most likely to lead their colleagues to accepting new approaches. Opinion leaders can offer insight into faculty reactions to new approaches; their involvement in project planning can influence acceptance. Innovators, when selected carefully, can demonstrate and test new teaching approaches. Knowledge of when and how to involve these two kinds of faculty can reduce frustration and enhance efforts to spread new ideas about …

Student Collaboration In Faculty Development: Connecting Directly To The Learning Revolution, Milton D. Cox, D. Lynn Sorenson

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Although faculty developers have worked successfully with faculty to focus on ways to enhance learning and listen to student voices, developers have rarely formed partnerships with students. This chapter reviews established practices involving students directly in faculty development, such as student observer/consultant programs. It also describes the nature, dynamics, and outcomes of some interesting new programs involving students in teaching development activities, thereby empowering students to join developers as change agents ofcampus culture. Finally, this chapter raises issues for faculty developers to reflect on as they consider establishing direct connections-partnerships-with students.

Transforming Introductory Psychology: Trading Ownership For Student Success, Randall E. Osborne, William Browne, Susan J. Shapiro, Walter F. Wagor

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

As colleges struggle to maintain enrollments, many have shifted from a primary focus on recruitment of new students to an increased focus on retaining students once they begin attending the college or university. An examination of introductory courses on our campus, however, revealed significant differences between faculty perceptions of student skills and the actual skills students brought into the classroom. This prompted shifts in the manner in which we teach introductory psychology on our campus in order to enhance the skills necessary for success in survey courses and to provide a foundation of learning and thinking skills that would translate …

“It's Hard Work!”: Faculty Development In A Program For First–Year Students, Martha L. A. Stassen

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Academic programs designed specifically for first-year students provide an important opportunity for faculty growth. This chapter contributes to the limited literature on this topic through a qualitative analysis of interviews with faculty members who taught in an experimental living-learning community for first-year students at a Research I Public University. The analysis suggests atleast four dimensions of faculty growth as a result of their involvement in first-year programs. In addition to outlining the types of impact this experience has on the faculty involved, the article suggests the implications of these findings for faculty development.

Classroom Management Issues For Teaching Assistants, Jiali Luo, Laurie H Bellows, Marilyn Grady

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

For many graduate teaching assistants, the task of planning, organizing, motivating, and controlling classroom environments can be overwhelming. Empirical research pertaining to major classroom management problems experienced by TAs is scarce. This article is a report of a survey study regarding TA classroom management at a large, land-grant Research 1 University. The study provides specific information about TAs’ perceptions of classroom management experiences and concerns based on TA type, gender, teaching experience, and academic discipline. The results of the study indicate that international and U.S. TAs experienced many common problems, but each of the two types of TAs also had …

Interactive Health Information Web Services For Business Settings, Nadezhda Soloukhina

Graduate Research Papers

With the increase in the cost of healthcare many business in the United States are becoming self-insured or relying on managed healthcare organizations to provide healthcare. Employee wellness programs are playing a more pivotal role in the healthcare strategies of medium size to large size business. On average, according to the surveys, these companies spend $40 per employee per year on wellness programs. This research summarizes the needs to provide interactive health information services to complement employee wellness program of business in the US, and describes the procedures of developing health information kiosks.

Attitudes Of Elementary Classroom Teachers Toward Physical Educators And Physical Education, Jodeen Thomas

Graduate Theses

Elementary classroom teachers, who were members of the Texas Classroom Teachers Association, were surveyed regarding their opinions and beliefs toward elementary physical education specialists and elementary physical education programs. A total of 122 surveys were used in the results from a mailing of 500. Classroom teachers ranked professional positions in the elementary setting from most important (1) to least important (11). Classroom teachers then responded to questions about the physical education specialist and the physical education program on their campuses. Survey results indicated widespread support for students to receive daily physical activity, with an emphasis on health and wellness in …

Broadly Speaking - December, 1999, Nova Southeastern University

Broadly Speaking

No abstract provided.

Nsu Fischler Graduate School Of Education And Human Services Catalog 1999-2001, Nova Southeastern University

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice College Archive

No abstract provided.

Characteristics Of Viable And Sustainable Workers For The Year 2015, Brenda P. Dean

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to forecast characteristics of valuable workers within Middle Eastern Tennessee for the year 2015. The following areas were studied as they related to the forecast: (1) the projected employment skill demands of business and industry; (2) the initiatives required and proposed by business and industry to meet their respective employment demands; and (3) the external support by education required for industry and business to meet their employment needs. The Delphi panel was composed of 22 business and industry leaders who were nominated by the county executive of the ten counties of the study, officials …

A Qualitative Study Of A Team-Teaching Classroom And A Traditional One-Teacher Classroom In An Elementary School Setting, Johnny D. Thompson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study describes two heterogeneously grouped second-grade classrooms during the 1998-99 school year. One class featured collaborative team teaching, and the second class was taught by a traditional single teacher. There were 33 regular education students and nine at-risk students in the team classroom and 14 regular education students and eight at-risk students in the one-teacher classroom. One hundred three interviews were conducted with 21 students in the team classroom and 18 students in the one-teacher classroom, with 13 parents, with three teachers, and with the school principal. The researcher observed the two classes 61 times from September to May. …