Digital Commons Network^™

Meaningful Assessment Promotes Meaningful Learning, Diane K. Brantley

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

Since the enactment of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in 1965, America’s schools have faced enhanced scrutiny by the public sector. Larger demands have been placed on children to perform at increasingly higher levels of achievement in reading and math, often beginning as early as kindergarten. Teachers and institutions of higher education have also felt the surge of outside pressure to “perform” wash over them.

School Web Sites And Teacher Employment Interest, David Theodore Freeman

Dissertations

The Internet has changed the way many organizations, including public and private schools, recruit and select employees. It has also changed the way many people research and pursue employment opportunities, including those seeking positions in education. The school Web site is often the medium of first contact between a school or school district and a potential employee. That first contact can influence the potential employee’s decision to actively pursue employment with a school or a school district.

This research measured the reactions o f preservice teachers who visited three grade-level appropriate school Web sites of “poor,” “average,” and “best” distinction. …

The Prevalence And Function Of Mathematics Specialists Across Southern New Jersey, Susan M. Eith

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine current practices regarding math specialists in the eight southern counties of New Jersey. Additionally, information on training opportunities offered by several universities was presented and compared to the certification requirements of other states. A written survey was mailed to a proportional stratified random sample (n=45), categorized by county and socioeconomic status. Both simple percentages and tests of significance (t-test and chi-squared) were used in analyzing the data. This study found there were no significant differences in the number of math specialists working in economically disadvantaged districts compared to other, more affluent …

Anti-Bullying Laws And Policies In Southern New Jersey, Joanna M. Wardrop

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover the anti-bullying laws set by New Jersey legislatures. It was also to discover whether school districts in the five southern-most counties of New Jersey are following these laws. Finally, this study attempted to discover which, if any, anti-bullying services are being utilized by school districts in these counties.

This study consisted of a survey which was sent to the 110 superintendents in school districts in the five southern-most counties of New Jersey. The survey contained multiple choice, yes/no, and open-ended questions. The goal of the survey was to find the percentages of …

Koinonia, Jo Anne Lyon, Amy E. Bartley, Todd Ream, Josh Staffieri, Glen Kinoshita

Koinonia

Conference Spotlight
The Blessing of Purpose, Jo Anne Lyon

Dealing With Burnout
Light at the End of the Tunnel: A Burnout Intervention Plan for Student Development Professionals, Amy E. Bartley

Community Considerations
Thinking Theologically: Considering Community, Todd Ream

Men's Issues
Everybody Loves Raymond, Josh Staffieri

Book Review
Being White: Finding Our Place in a Multiethnic World, reviewed by Glen Kinoshita

Features
The President's Corner; Editor's Disk

Methodological Competencies Of Teachers: A Study Of Nigeria, Nwachukwu Ololube

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Secondary schools in Nigeria operate within the guidelines provided by the National Policy on Education (NPE) 1981, revised 1989 (Federal Government of Nigeria, 1989). This document stipulates the objectives of secondary education, the caliber of teachers to teach in them and their qualifications, as well as the curriculum content and methodology to be employed. It is frightening, however, to mention that in spite of the provision in the NPE, lots of problems still hinder secondary school education development in Nigeria. These include among others: acute shortage of the employability of professionally qualified teachers and the recruitment of unqualified and untrained …

Rural School District Consolidation, Joe Bard, Clark Gardener, Regi Wieland

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

This paper, developed by the NREA Consolidation Task Force, provides a review of the literature on rural school consolidation, defines consolidation, addresses current research and issues related to consolidation with respect to school size, economies of scale, and student achievement, and concludes with proposed recommendations for the NREA Executive Board.

The Academic Workplace (Spring 2006): Learning Equity-Mindedness: Equality In Educational Outcomes, New England Resource Center For Higher Education At The University Of Massachusetts Boston, John Saltmarsh, R. Eugene Rice, Estela Mara Bensimon, Melissa P. Read

The Academic Workplace

No abstract provided.

Gaining Options: A Mathematics Program For Potentially Talented At-Risk Adolescent Girls, Pamela Trotman Reid, Sally K. Roberts

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

In response to indicators that a decline in interest in mathematics occurs among girls—particularly those from low-income and minority groups—during middle school, the GO-GIRL (Gaining Options: Girls Investigate Real Life) program was designed to help potentially talented at-risk girls. The program aimed to build mathematical confidence, skills, and conceptual understanding by integrating mathematics and social science research in a single-sex, technology-rich environment supported by university student mentors. The program targeted seventh-grade urban girls from public and private schools. Participants met over the course of ten Saturdays to learn research methods, computer skills, mathematics, and descriptive statistics. Quantitative data from the …

African American Literature: Books To Stoke Dreams, Jane M. Gangi, Aimee Ferguson

Education Faculty Publications

In addition to market forces, unconsciously damaging trends in many textbooks for teacher education have resulted in classroom trade book collections that represent children who are primarily white and middle class. While all children—whether from Argentina, Afghanistan, or Algeria—deserve to see themselves and their families in books, the focus of this article is on new publications that depict African Americans.

Teachers who are committed to learning all they can about multicultural literature and culturally and gender relevant pedagogy become agents of change.

Includes significant bibliography of Resources and list of Children’s Literature That Picture Children of African Descent.

Roles And Functions: School Psychology Within A Pediatric Setting, Stephanie C. Olson, Ashley M. Rohlk, Susan M. Sheridan, Cynthia R. Ellis

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Presentations

Pediatric School Psychology

-&#;With an increasing number of children with chronic health conditions, the concept of pediatric care has expanded from a primarily medical emphasis to one that is more comprehensive and includes the disciplines of psychology and education (Perrin, 1999).

-&#;Children with developmental disabilities experience symptoms that affect their physical, academic, behavioral, developmental, and social functioning; therefore, collaboration among interdisciplinary professionals is essential.

-&#;Pediatric school psychology represents an “emergence of a subspecialty” within school psychology and includes the competencies of both school psychology and health psychology (Power, DuPaul, Shapiro, & Parrish, 1995).

-&#;Pediatric school psychologists serve as a liaison …

Teaching Courses Online: A Review Of The Research, Mary K. Tallent-Runnels, Julie A. Thomas, William Y. Lan, Sandi Cooper, Terence C. Ahern, Shana M. Shaw, Xiaoming Liu

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

This literature review summarizes research on online teaching and learning. It is organized into four topics: course environment, learners’ outcomes, learners’ characteristics, and institutional and administrative factors. The authors found little consistency of terminology, discovered some conclusive guidelines, and identified developing lines of inquiry. The conclusions overall suggest that most of the studies reviewed were descriptive and exploratory, that most online students are nontraditional and Anglo American, and that few universities have written policies, guidelines, or technical support for faculty members or students. Asynchronous communication seemed to facilitate in-depth communication (but not more than in traditional classes), students liked to …

Budgeted Money In Staff Development And Technology Integration, Chad Frerichs

Masters Theses

Many studies have been done on the different styles of professional staff development for teachers and administrators in the area of technology and its integration into the classroom. One element has been consistently ignored in recent studies, the amount of money being spent on staff development.

This research attempted to uncover the relationship between expenditures on staff development activities for educational technology and the extent of technology integration occurring in K-12 schools. With shrinking budgets throughout the education system in this country, an answer is needed. As Butler says in her review of the research, "Further studies of this type …

Effects Of Positive Behavior Support On Perceptions Of School Quality, Hilda Sabbah, Paul Caldarella, Michael Richardson, Ben Young

Faculty Publications

Indicators of School Quality (ISQ) is a comprehensive survey system for school administrators to evaluate and monitor school improvement and accreditation efforts.

Peaceable Schools: Bringing Positive Behavior Support Into Utah Public Education, Paul Caldarella, K. Richard Young

Faculty Publications

This symposium highlights Peaceable Schools, a University-Public School Partnership currently underway in Utah County. Peaceable Schools is a prevention and intervention model for public schools K-12. This project uses Positive Behavior Support principles, which are based on the application of applied behavior analysis, focusing on the promotion of pro-social skills in the public schools. Peaceable Schools uses a positive teaching model to school-based discipline. It attempts to create and build a school culture that communicates explicit, positive expectations for students through posting school rules and consistently promoting positive behavior, rather than reacting in a punitive manner to students’ inappropriate behaviors.

Conjoint Behavioral Consultation: The Effectiveness Of A Partnership Orientation, Stanley A. Garbacz, Ashley M. Rohlk, Michelle S. Swanger, Kathryn E. Woods, Kathryn A. Black

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Presentations

Families and Schools
Family-Centered Perspective
Partnership-Oriented Perspective
Conjoint Behavioral Consultation
Methods
Variables
Measures
Procedures
Analyses
Results
Discussion
Implications for Practice
Limitations and Future Directions

Accounting Students' Perceptions Of A Learning Management System: An International Comparison, Illias Basioudis, Paul De Lange, Themin Suwardy, Paul Wells

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

The impact and use of technology on learning outcomes for accounting students is not well understood. This study investigated impact of design features of an ‘off the shelf’ Learning Management System (LMS) in teaching undergraduate accounting students. Specifically, responses elicited from students located in the UK, Australia and New Zealand form the basis of the study which reports on a number of design features in the LMS (e.g. delivery of lecture notes, announcements, on-line assessment and model answers) used to deliver learning materials regarded as necessary to enhance learning outcomes. Responses from 825 on-campus students provided international data to develop …

Pediatric School Psychology: Opportunities And Perspectives On Training And Practice, Susan M. Sheridan, Thomas J. Power, Edward S. Shapiro, George Dupaul, Kathy Bradley-Klug, Cindy Ellis

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Presentations

Expanded Model: Address Continuum of Need
Targeted Intervention
Process of School Reintegration
Indicated Level of Prevention
Universal Level of Prevention
Implications for School Psychologists
Interdisciplinary, Intersystemic Collaboration in Pediatric School Psychology
CBC in a Pediatric Context
School Psychology Leadership Specialization in Family-Centered Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Training In Pediatric School Psychology: A Model For Interdisciplinary Collaboration, J.D. Burt, B. L. Clarke, Susan M. Sheridan, A.M. Rolke, K.E. Woods, M.S. Swanger, S.C. Olson

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Presentations

- Approximately 20% of children and adolescents are affected by a mental disorder (National Institute of Mental Health, 2005), 22% suffer from obesity, and an additional 10% suffer from asthma (Creer & Bender, 1995; Troiano, Flegal, Kuczmarski, Campbell, & Johnson, 1995). - Educational reform emphasizes that schools must begin to address how mental and physical health issues are potential barriers to learning (Adelman & Taylor, 1998). - An interdisciplinary approach is necessary to meet the multiple needs of children across systems (Power, Shapiro, & DuPaul, 2003). - The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), American Psychological Association (APA), and the …

Strategic Planning: Is It Worth The Effort? The Superintendent’S Perspective, Ralph Jasparro

Higher Education

No abstract provided.

A Female Pdt’S Journey In The Northern Areas Of Pakistan, Safida Begum

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

This paper presents the learning journey of a female Professional Development Teacher (PDT) in the context of Northern Pakistan. This journey highlights difficulties for the female PDT in constructing her image as a leader or a change agent in a traditionally male dominated society. The paper explores the major challenges faced by the PDT in putting the theory of leadership into the realities of the context and describes the supporting factors that enabled her to establish herself as a leader. From her experiences, the author draws the processes and strategies for a female leader in a rural male dominated society, …

Pre-Service Teacher Education In Central Asia, Jamal Papieva

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

This paper presents the nature of pre-service teacher education in Soviet and post-Soviet Central Asia, a case of Kyrgyzstan; highlights the main issues and discuses the possibilities and approaches undertaken for improving pre-service teacher education. After Central Asian republics gained independence, their higher education was challenged by broad changes in political and economic life, and by the destruction of their ideological values. In general, higher education was always part of the bigger Soviet system of education. All principles of higher education structurization, its missions and goals, its strategy and main curriculum requirements were centrally developed in Moscow, and then sent …

Defining Quality In Early Childhood Settings: Experiences From The Field, Atiya Hussain, Audrey Juma

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

“The successful education of the child during her/his years of schooling and the participation of that child in society as an adult, depends to a greater degree upon the foundation laid during the early years” (Evans, Myers and IIfled, 2000, p.7). Research indicates that learning is crucial to development whereby knowledge, skills, attitudes and values are developed. Research from disciplines such as physiology, nutrition, health, sociology, psychology and education provide evidence indicating that the early years are crucial in terms of developing intelligence, personality and social behaviour of children. If children are not provided opportunities to communicate, learn and develop …

Beginning Teachers’ Professional Socialization In Post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan: The Challenges And Coping Strategies, Duishon Alievich Shamatov

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

This qualitative study examines and develops an in-depth understanding of two beginning teachers’ professional socializations in post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan. The study is a historical and descriptive account that provides insights into the impact of socio-political upheaval on the lives of two beginning teachers. The study focuses on the challenges the teachers faced in their initial stages of work and on how they addressed these. The teachers’ professional socialization stories are described in three realms: classroom, school and community. The study examines in greater detail the professional and relational challenges that the two beginning teachers faced while interacting with their pupils, administrators, …

Researching Education And Society In Central Asia, Sarfaroz Niyozov, Duishon Shamatov

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

No abstract provided.

Teaching As Art Form - Review Of The Elements Of Teaching, David I.C. Thomson

Sturm College of Law: Faculty Scholarship

The authors of this gem of a book—both retired college teachers who gave their professional lifetimes to teaching—write simply and passionately about what it takes to be an effective teacher, and manage to reduce the key aspects of a complex process down to nine primary elements. In so doing, they provide not only a road map of aspiration for the new teacher, but also signposts of inspiration for the experienced teacher.

The Emotional Dimensions Of Urban Teacher Change, Nate Mccaughtry, Jeffrey J. Martin, Pamela Hodges Kulinna, Donetta Cothran

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

This study used an emotional geographies theoretical framework to analyze the emotional dimensions of urban teacher change. Fifteen urban physical education teachers involved in a comprehensive curriculum reform project were interviewed and observed multiple times across one school year. Data were analyzed using inductive analysis, and trustworthiness measures included triangulation, peer debriefing, researcher journals, and member checks. Teachers reported that emotional dimensions related to their urban students, colleagues, and status heavily influenced their engagement in the project. The discussion section maps the emotional dimensions of these teachers' change experiences onto an emotional geographies framework that situates their experiences in change …

Student Success In College: Creating Conditions That Matter, Treva Barham

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Koinonia, Bill Millard, Todd Ream, Cara Copeland, Melanie Hulbert, Tony Marchese, Canaan Crane, David Johnstone

Koinonia

Conference Spotlight
A Life Calling Conceptual and Developmental Model, Bill Millard

Community Considerations
Thinking Theologically: Considering Community, Todd Ream

Women's Issues
Women, Work, and Family, Cara Copeland & Melanie Hulbert

Calling and Career
Vocational Realization Through the Discovery of Human Assets, Tony Marchese

Human Sexuality
Creating an Effective Human Sexuality Statement, Canaan Crane

Book Review
Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas, reviewed by David Johnstone

Features
The President's Corner; Editor's Disk

Laughter-Piece Theatre: Humor As A Systematic Teaching Tool, Ronald A. Berk

Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education: Archives

Humor can be used to bring students and deadly boring content to life. It can hook your students, engage their emotions, and focus their minds and eyeballs on learning.