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Factors Influencing Hypoglycemia Care Utilization And Outcomes Among Adult Diabetic Patients Admitted To Hospitals: A Predictive Model, Waleed Kattan Jan 2017

Factors Influencing Hypoglycemia Care Utilization And Outcomes Among Adult Diabetic Patients Admitted To Hospitals: A Predictive Model, Waleed Kattan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Diabetes Miletus (DM) is one of the major health problems in the United States. Despite all efforts made to combat this disease, its incidence and prevalence are steadily increasing. One of the common and serious side effects of treatment among people with diabetes is hypoglycemia (HG), where the level of blood glucose falls below the optimum level. Episodes of HG vary in their severity. Nevertheless, many require medical assistance and are usually associated with higher utilization of healthcare resources such as frequent emergency department visits and physician visits. Additionally, patients who experience HG frequently have poor outcomes such as higher …

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Digital Dissonance: Horror Cultures In The Age Of Convergent Technologies, Daniel Powell Jan 2017

Digital Dissonance: Horror Cultures In The Age Of Convergent Technologies, Daniel Powell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The first two decades of the new millennium have witnessed an abundance of change in the areas of textual production, digital communication, and our collective engagement with the Internet. This study explores these changes, which have yielded both positive and negative cultural and developmental outcomes, as products of digital dissonance. Dissonance is characterized by the disruptive consequences inherent in technology's incursion into the print publication cultures of the twentieth century, the explosion in social-media interaction that is changing the complexion of human contact, and our expanding reliance on the World Wide Web for negotiating commerce, culture, and communication. This study …

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An Examination Of Inclusive Practices For Junior Secondary Students With Learning Disabilities In Gaborone, Botswana, Samantha Mrstik Jan 2017

An Examination Of Inclusive Practices For Junior Secondary Students With Learning Disabilities In Gaborone, Botswana, Samantha Mrstik

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The country of Botswana has passed laws to support the human rights of their citizens. In accordance with the UN's guidelines, Botswana's human rights initiatives, and the international movement towards inclusive education, inclusive educational reform is taking place. In this ethnographic study, the researcher has examined the inclusive practices currently in place to support junior secondary students with learning disabilities (LD) in Gaborone, Botswana over a four-month period. Participants included administrators, general and special education teachers, and students with LD. The themes of routine, academic activities, classroom life, and accommodations for students with LD emerged upon analysis and are discussed …

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A Phenomenological Study On The Implementation Of Louise Rosenblatt's Transactional Theory And Its Impact On Teacher-Efficacy For Literacy Instruction In An Online Environment, Marcus Vu Jan 2017

A Phenomenological Study On The Implementation Of Louise Rosenblatt's Transactional Theory And Its Impact On Teacher-Efficacy For Literacy Instruction In An Online Environment, Marcus Vu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study sought to examine the teacher-efficacy for literacy instruction (TELI) of instructors who teach in an online environment. The phenomenological methodology sought to answer the following research questions: (1) What pedagogical practices do instructors use to provide literacy instruction in an online environment? (2) How do instructors perceive their TELI in an online environment? and (3) What impact, if any, will a Professional Learning Community (PLC) focused on Rosenblatt's Transactional Theory have on TELI in an online environment? The study consisted of a group of seven online instructors. The researcher the acting as facilitator administered the initial interviews …

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School Has A Bad Storyline: Gamification In Educational Environments, Irene L. Pynn Jan 2017

School Has A Bad Storyline: Gamification In Educational Environments, Irene L. Pynn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School often has low engagement and frustrating or absent options for the kind of agency the Federal Government's 2016 National Education Technology Plan now recommends educators include in their curriculum. Video games offer opportunities for people to participate in critical problem solving through creative projects. From balancing character statistics, to collaborating with other players, to making ethical and tactical decisions that can change the outcome of the story, successful games draw on the player's interest in learning and analyzing numbers, locations, visual clues, narrative elements, people, and more. One useful example may be found in visual novels (VNs), a medium …

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Effects Of Symbol Type On Naming And Identification Of Graphic Symbols By Typically Developing Three, Four, Five And Six-Year Olds Children., Pamela Resnick Jan 2017

Effects Of Symbol Type On Naming And Identification Of Graphic Symbols By Typically Developing Three, Four, Five And Six-Year Olds Children., Pamela Resnick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Speech-language pathologists and educators face unique challenges in assessing the language skills of children with complex communication needs due to the wide array of impairments with which these individuals present. For example, most receptive language assessment tools require that children either point to or label line drawings to determine whether or not they comprehend the depicted concepts; task demands such as these preclude administering such assessment tools with children who are unable to physically point to or verbally label presented stimuli. In light of these challenges, the use of eye tracking technologies has become particularly appealing since this alternate response …

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Tracing Literacy Practices Of Multilingual Writing Tutors, Somaily Nieves Jan 2017

Tracing Literacy Practices Of Multilingual Writing Tutors, Somaily Nieves

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research in writing studies has focused on multilingual writers and the rhetorical affinity they gain from shuttling between multiple languages (Lorimer Leonard, 2014; Guerra, 2004) Writing center studies have focused on multilingual writing tutors and have argued the need to use more tutors who are literate in more than one language because they possess skills that can be useful in writing centers (Lape, 2013; Thonus, 2014). However, not much research has been conducted to better understand what literacy practices these multilingual writing tutors develop that make them better equipped in writing center tutoring sessions. This thesis focuses on a case …

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Exploring Interactions Between Adult English Learners And Their Teachlive Digital Character Peers, Ting Yan Jan 2017

Exploring Interactions Between Adult English Learners And Their Teachlive Digital Character Peers, Ting Yan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Peer interaction is an important part of language learning. The results of previous studies showed advantages and disadvantages of peer interaction between native speakers and English learners. Using the educational simulation platform TeachLivE as the interaction platform, this qualitative descriptive case study explored the possibilities of bridging the gap between classroom language practice and real-life second language communication. The study recruited eight participants for a task-based interaction project. Using conversation analysis, the study revealed details in communication between adult English learners and their digital character peers. During the interactions, the participants were actively involved and the most frequent communication patterns …

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Using Dif To Monitor Equivalence Of Translated Tests In Large Scale Assessments: A Comparison Of Native Speakers In Their Primary And The Test’S Source Language, Jorge Carvajal Espinoza Dec 2016

Using Dif To Monitor Equivalence Of Translated Tests In Large Scale Assessments: A Comparison Of Native Speakers In Their Primary And The Test’S Source Language, Jorge Carvajal Espinoza

TAPESTRY

This study utilized a Differential Item Functioning (DIF) methodology for examining translated tests wherein all the examinees have the same native language -the target language of the translation- in order to provide information about the psychometric equivalence of the original and translated versions of the tests at item level. This study has also found possible explanations for translation DIF in certain types of items.

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Language Policy And The Preparedness Of Mainstream Teachers For Serving Els In K-12 Classrooms, Laureen A. Fregeau, Robert D. Leier Dec 2016

Language Policy And The Preparedness Of Mainstream Teachers For Serving Els In K-12 Classrooms, Laureen A. Fregeau, Robert D. Leier

TAPESTRY

English language learners (ELs) numbers are increasing steadily in classrooms across the United States. Some southeastern states have seen more than a 200% EL student increase in recent years (Migration Policy Institute, 2010). Since the inception of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and especially since Title I “flexibility” revisions, responsibility for educating ELs has shifted from ESOL and bilingual teachers to primarily mainstream teachers. States that have opted out of NCLB under flexibility revisions are no longer as accountable to the U. S. Department of Education for the education of ELs. States and school districts are no longer required to …

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Book Review, Nooshan Ashtari Dec 2016

Book Review, Nooshan Ashtari

TAPESTRY

Text: Nutta, J. W., Mokhtari, K., & Strebel, C. (2012). Preparing every teacher to reach English learners. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.

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An Esol Curricular Model: Infuse Esol Standards In Teacher Education, Deborah L. Wheeler, Jane M. Govoni Dec 2016

An Esol Curricular Model: Infuse Esol Standards In Teacher Education, Deborah L. Wheeler, Jane M. Govoni

TAPESTRY

Florida approved teacher preparation programs provide coursework in English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) based on a mandate that began for graduates in 2004; however, there are few studies on the effects of an ESOL integrated model. The data show that an ESOL-infused program effectively prepares teacher candidates in demonstrating ESOL standards. The data were applied to a Likert scale and the results revealed that the program ranked between the ranges of average and exceeds expectations. The results will foster further research on a larger scale on ways to effectively prepare teacher candidates to work with English learners (ELs).

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Accommodations And English Learners: Inconsistencies In Policies And Practice, Florin M. Mihai, N. Eleni Pappamihiel Dec 2016

Accommodations And English Learners: Inconsistencies In Policies And Practice, Florin M. Mihai, N. Eleni Pappamihiel

TAPESTRY

This article outlines the results of a survey of all the large-scale testing accommodations used with English learners across the United States, addressing the increasing challenge of integrating this population into a state’s accountability system in a valid and reliable manner. This examination of accommodation policies used in standardized content area assessments reveals that there is little consistency across states with regard to testing accommodations for ELs in providing accommodations when ELs are tested in academic content areas.

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Book Review, Joe Terantino, Susanne Kelley Dec 2016

Book Review, Joe Terantino, Susanne Kelley

TAPESTRY

Stanley, G. (2013). Language learning with technology: Ideas for integrating technology in the classroom. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Cambridge University Press.

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Literacy In Our Lives, Past, Present And Future: Exploring Digital Stories By Uae Pre-Service Teachers, Patience A. Sowa Dec 2016

Literacy In Our Lives, Past, Present And Future: Exploring Digital Stories By Uae Pre-Service Teachers, Patience A. Sowa

TAPESTRY

The purpose of this research study was to examine how pre-service teachers in a college of education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) used multimodal digital storytelling to explore their language and literacy learning experiences in Arabic and English. Twenty-one pre-service teachers participated in this qualitative study. Drawing on the digital stories, reflection papers and open-ended surveys as data, the study explored the pre-service teachers’ bilingual literacy language experiences and how they created their digital stories. Emerging themes included early experiences in language and literacy learning at home and at school, and expanded notions of literacy. The memoirs offered a …

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Toward Integrative Call: A Progressive Outlook On The History, Trends, And Issues Of Call, Kasumi Yamazaki Dec 2016

Toward Integrative Call: A Progressive Outlook On The History, Trends, And Issues Of Call, Kasumi Yamazaki

TAPESTRY

With the advancement of technology now allowing complex and intricate simulation gaming and virtual reality (VR), current trends and issues in language learning extend their research on the topic of digital literacy, aiming to find the ways in which the use of technology fosters, or perhaps hinders, overall performance of language learning. While there have been many published articles that claim the successful utilization of technology and digital media into the classroom, there are considerably few that deliver a successful integration of theory into practice. To address this issue, this paper provides a historical review of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL), …

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Problems And Possibilities: Emergent Bilinguals And Multimodalities, Kathy Marie Bussert-Webb Dec 2016

Problems And Possibilities: Emergent Bilinguals And Multimodalities, Kathy Marie Bussert-Webb

TAPESTRY

This commentary and review focuses on my teaching and research experiences with Mexican-heritage youths in the lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, alongside Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico. Most of these youths were emergent bilinguals of poverty. I argue that high-stakes testing environments limited their experiences in diverse sign systems, including technology, in and out of school. These youths engaged in entertainment and friendship uses of technology outside of school, even though most had access to up-to-date digital tools at home for more higher-order technology use. They did not appear to have mentors or teachers who taught them to use …

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Multiliteracy In Three English As A Second Language (Esl) Middle School Classrooms, Elena Andrei Dec 2016

Multiliteracy In Three English As A Second Language (Esl) Middle School Classrooms, Elena Andrei

TAPESTRY

This study investigated the teaching of multiliteracy in three middle school English as a Second Language Arts classrooms. The research question was: How are English learners (ELs) developing multiliteracy - defined as critical literacy, electronic literacy, and socio-cultural literacy, if at all, in middle school ESL Language Arts classrooms? Collected data consisted of classroom observations, transcribed teacher and focus student interviews; copies of teacher and student artifacts such as handouts and student notebooks. The findings of the study suggest that teachers did not teach all aspects of multiliteracy and the students seemed to be developing mostly electronic literacy, but not …

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Microblogging: Using Digital Literacies To Engage Middle School English Learners, Carolyn J. Stufft, Susan Casey Dec 2016

Microblogging: Using Digital Literacies To Engage Middle School English Learners, Carolyn J. Stufft, Susan Casey

TAPESTRY

As a result of the changing technologies associated with the 21st century, the definition of literacy has changed and expanded (Antonacci & O’Callaghan, 2011) to encompass e-books, text messages, blogs, and even videogames and the peripheral literacies associated with gaming. These new literacies have demonstrated promise for engaging students in literate practices (Gee, 2007; Gerber, 2009). One practice in particular, microblogging, provides a way to engage English learners in writing and responding to text. Microblogging is a participant web technology that allows users to interact and share information in succinct online posts (Hricko, 2010). For middle school English learners, microblogging …

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Exploring New Paths To Academic Literacy For English Language Learners, Mayra C. Daniel, Dong-Shin Shin Dec 2016

Exploring New Paths To Academic Literacy For English Language Learners, Mayra C. Daniel, Dong-Shin Shin

TAPESTRY

This article discusses a revised paradigm for understanding the role of technology in learning in today’s 21st century’s digital world. We propose that the digital literacy that is an integral part of learners’ daily lives requires a concentrated examination. We argue that appropriate selection and incorporation of current technologies in instruction can improve today’s schoolhouse and raise the academic achievement of English language learners. This commentary addresses the ways teachers prepare to use technology effectively in literacy education for collaborative learning, for multi-modal authoring, and for the virtual classroom. Specific applications are considered and recommended for classrooms with English learners.

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Bridging The Gap: Preparing Teachers To Meet The Needs Of Ells Through Service-Learning, Michele Regalla Dec 2016

Bridging The Gap: Preparing Teachers To Meet The Needs Of Ells Through Service-Learning, Michele Regalla

TAPESTRY

Although the U.S. student population has become increasingly diverse, our teaching force does not reflect equal levels of diversity. Teacher education programs are charged with the task of preparing pre-service teachers to meet the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students. This paper addresses one option for providing pre-service teachers with diversity experiences by offering a short term service-learning program abroad. Research has shown that pre-service teachers feel more prepared to meet the needs of English learners after their participation in international experiences with service-learning or study abroad. This paper presents practical guidance for teacher educators who wish to start …

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“Textbooks Come Alive:” Engaging Teacher Candidates In Service-Learning To Enhance Their Learning About English Language Learners, Carla Amaro-Jiménez, Kim K. Winter Dec 2016

“Textbooks Come Alive:” Engaging Teacher Candidates In Service-Learning To Enhance Their Learning About English Language Learners, Carla Amaro-Jiménez, Kim K. Winter

TAPESTRY

This article describes the results of a Service-Learning collaboration initiative between several community partners and two teacher preparation programs (i.e., bilingual education and middle level education) at a large, urban university in the Southwest. We draw on data collected from a total of 77 teacher candidates (38 in bilingual education and 39 in middle level education) who were enrolled in a course focusing on methods of literacy instruction for ELL. The manuscript focuses on the impact that participating in Service-Learning had on teacher candidates’ personal, professional, and academic experiences as they worked with ELL as part of their teacher preparation …

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Living Here, Yet Being There: Facebook As A Transnational Space For Newcomer Latina/O Adolescents, Mary Amanda Stewart Dec 2016

Living Here, Yet Being There: Facebook As A Transnational Space For Newcomer Latina/O Adolescents, Mary Amanda Stewart

TAPESTRY

Under the category of diaspora media studies, the present case study investigates the social networking use of four newcomer adolescent English Learners in a U.S. high school. Demonstrating their transnational skills, the students use the social networking site of Facebook prolifically outside of school in order to connect to their home countries, maintain their Latina/o identities, and acquire English. Findings from analyzing the students' Facebook pages, interviews, and in-school observations illustrate that they are transnational, multicultural, emergent bilinguals who engage in sophisticated multimodal ways of communication outside of school, challenging their at-risk label in their high school. Immigrant students' transnational …

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Preparing Teachers Of English Learners: How Field Reports Bridge The Gap Between Theory And Practice, Judy Lombardi Dec 2016

Preparing Teachers Of English Learners: How Field Reports Bridge The Gap Between Theory And Practice, Judy Lombardi

TAPESTRY

Preservice teachers of English learners need practical experience in real classrooms to supplement the rich strategies learned in college methods classes. In classes of preservice teachers in secondary education at California State University Northridge, state course standards require teacher candidates to complete not only classwork but also field observation reports. The field observation reports help teacher candidates bridge theory and practice, making connections between university course strategies and public school classroom applications. With access to the largest number of English learners in any school district in the nation, candidates are able to observe and report on the diverse needs, strategies, …

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Classroom Assessment Of Language Levels: A Quick Formative Assessment Tool, Paul Boyd-Batstone Dec 2016

Classroom Assessment Of Language Levels: A Quick Formative Assessment Tool, Paul Boyd-Batstone

TAPESTRY

When a newly arrived English learner (EL) enters the classroom, time is not on the teacher’s side. It is not uncommon for the EL to arrive far ahead of assessment data, such as a standardized measure of language level. Yet, the teacher is obliged to immediately provide instruction. Time is not on the student’s side either. English learners need immediate and appropriate instruction. This calls for a quick, formative assessment tool for identifying language level and appropriate accommodations. The purpose of this article is to present the Classroom Assessment of Language Levels (CALL) a tool for teachers to identify an …

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Dramatic Differences: The Power Of Playbuilding For Young English Language Learners, Jamie Simpson-Steele, Daniel A. Kelin Ii Dec 2016

Dramatic Differences: The Power Of Playbuilding For Young English Language Learners, Jamie Simpson-Steele, Daniel A. Kelin Ii

TAPESTRY

Through a combination of anecdotal stories, the findings of a qualitative evaluative study and overview of experiential activities, this article outlines how a group of 4th and 5th grade English Language Learners benefited from a drama-based project focused on building student confidence, collaborative and communicative skills and facility with drama processes to engage interest and stimulate a sense of investment with the ELL participants. A portion of the article focuses on one participant who experienced a particularly intriguing journey that stimulated both discoveries and questions about the drama program.

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Preparing Preservice Teachers To Address The Disproportionality Of Ells In Exceptional Education Programs, Leah J. Lerma, Martha Lue Stewart Dec 2016

Preparing Preservice Teachers To Address The Disproportionality Of Ells In Exceptional Education Programs, Leah J. Lerma, Martha Lue Stewart

TAPESTRY

As our nation’s classrooms become more diverse, how to best educate all of our students is of paramount importance. The educational placement of students of racial, cultural, ethnic, and linguistic diversity in classes for students with special needs at a disproportionate level is well documented. This paper addresses the issue of disproportionate representation of English Language Learners (ELLs) in special education programs. Teacher beliefs, cultural bias, lack of culturally responsive professional development opportunities, and assessments contribute to inappropriate referrals and identification. Preparing preservice teachers to understand disproportionality and why it exists can help reduce the inappropriate referrals and placement of …

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Editor's Note, Tapestry Staff Dec 2016

Editor's Note, Tapestry Staff

TAPESTRY

From the Editors

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Essay Review: Implications For Educators Of Daniel Everett’S Language: The Cultural Tool, Christopher W. Johnson Dec 2016

Essay Review: Implications For Educators Of Daniel Everett’S Language: The Cultural Tool, Christopher W. Johnson

TAPESTRY

This essay review discusses Everett (2012), Language: The Cultural Tool, with particular emphasis on implications for educators. While Everett does not belong to the discourse of pedagogy and policy for classrooms, his findings and arguments resonate powerfully with the contemporary challenges of PK-12 classrooms and teacher preparation.

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Benefits And Challenges Of Co-Teaching English Learners In One Elementary School In Transition, N. Eleni Pappamihiel Dec 2016

Benefits And Challenges Of Co-Teaching English Learners In One Elementary School In Transition, N. Eleni Pappamihiel

TAPESTRY

This article reports the findings of a case study centered upon the implementation of a coteaching model in an elementary school with a mixed (EL and non-EL) population. In the co-teaching model examined, ESL teachers were embedded in the general education classroom, collaborated on instruction, and taught in cooperation with general education teachers. In addition to presenting the outcomes of the examined co-teaching model, the article outlines several key conditions for the successful application of this model to various teaching environments.

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