Education Commons^™

Can Engagement Be Compared? Measuring Academic Engagement For Comparison, Ling Tan, Xiaoxun Sun, Siek Toon Khoo

Dr Siek Toon Khoo

Student engagement is a reflection of active involvement in learning. In digital learning environment, research studies on engagement have been focused on detecting behavioral and psychological engagement indicators from the patterns of activities using feature engineering, but student engagement estimates were rarely compared across sessions or across domains of learning. This paper describes how this could be done by revisiting engagement instrument, diagnosing engagement indicators, estimating engagement parameters, and equating. This study illustrates how engagement reliability can be improved by refining engagement indictors. We demonstrated through DataShop data that student engagement levels can be compared across domains of learning.

Relationship Between Grades And Learning Mode, John C. Griffith, Donna Roberts, Marian Schultz

Donna L. Roberts

A comparison of failure rates and grade distribution was conducted between four learning disciplines utilized by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide: Eagle Vision Classroom (synchronous classroom to classroom), Eagle Vision Home (synchronous home to home), Online and traditional classroom learning environments. Researchers examined 20,677 Embry-Riddle end-of-course student grades from the 2012-2013 academic year. Significant relationships between failing grades and learning environment (modes) were noted in courses from the English, Economics and Mathematics disciplines. Online courses experienced more failures relative to other modes of instruction in Humanities, Mathematics and Economics courses. The traditional classroom-learning mode had fewer failures relative to other modes in …

Who's Talking About (And Citing) Me? Tracking Your Work Using Databases, Google, Web Of Knowledge, And Altmetrics Tools, Julia Lovett, Andrée Rathemacher, Amanda Izenstark

Julia Lovett

Slides and handouts from a presentation, "Who's Talking About (and Citing) Me? Tracking Your Work using Databases, Google, Web of Knowledge, and Altmetrics Tools," offered at the University of Rhode Island Libraries on April 9 and April 10, 2014.

"Stop using the impact factor as a measure of the value of your research. There are better ways. In this hands-on session find out about tools that can help you learn how your work is being received, used, and disseminated across scholarly platforms and social media networks."

Part of the University Libraries' Search Savvy Seminar series.

Copyright, Fair Use, And Education: Your Rights As A Student, Faculty Member, And Researcher, Julia Lovett, Andrée Rathemacher, Angel Ferria

Julia Lovett

Slides, handouts, and classroom examples from a presentation, "Copyright, Fair Use, and Education: Your Rights as a Student, Faculty Member, and Researcher," offered at the University of Rhode Island Libraries on February 24 and February 25, 2014.

"Learn how Fair Use can help you incorporate copyrighted works (written material, images, video, etc.) into your research, teaching, and academic projects. Have questions about Fair Use and Copyright? Please bring them to these interactive sessions!"

Part of the University Libraries' Search Savvy Seminar series.

Exploring The Differences In Teaching Perspectives Between Australian Pre-Service And Graduate Physical Education Teachers, Brendon P. Hyndman

Dr Brendon P Hyndman

Limited investigation has been undertaken into Australian physical educators’ teaching beliefs and intentions and those that have been researched have tended to utilise ‘qualitative’ research methods. The present study addresses a gap in the literature by exploring the differences in teaching perspectives between Australian pre-service and graduate physical education teachers. The teaching perspectives inventory (TPI) was administered to pre-service physical education teachers (n=105) graduate physical education teachers (n=37). Each TPI item was linked to one of five key teaching perspectives (apprenticeship, developmental, nurturing, social reform & transmission). Average teaching perspective scores were calculated for each of the five teaching perspectives …

Grid Connected Roof Top Solar Power Generation: A Review, Radhey Shyam Meena

Radhey Shyam Meena

India is blessed with rich solar energy and if exploited efficiently, the country has the potential of producing trillionkilowatts of electricity. Sunlight is converted to electricity directly when made to fall on solar photovoltaic (SPV) modules. Systems /devices are made for various applications based on SPV modules connected with suitably designed power conditioning units for meeting electricity requirements. These systems/devices are designed to work in offgrid mode (usually supported with batteries to allow use when sunlight is low or during night). In recent years solar PV systems became viable and attractive. Utility scale plants are being set up worldwide with …

Mathematical Analysis Of Truncated Dodecahedron By H.C. Rajpoot, Harish Chandra Rajpoot Rajpoot Hcr

Harish Chandra Rajpoot H.C. Rajpoot

All the important parameters of a truncated dodecahedron (having 20 congruent equilateral triangular & 12 congruent regular decagonal faces each of equal edge length) such as normal distances & solid angles subtended by the faces, inner radius, outer radius, mean radius, surface area & volume have been calculated by using HCR's formula for regular polyhedrons. This formula is a generalized dimensional formula which is applied on any of the five platonic solids i.e. reguler tetrahedron, regular hexahedron (cube), regular octahedron, regular dodecahedron & regular icosahedron to calculate their important parameters. It can also be used in analysis, designing & modelling …

Neo-Liberal Education Policy In China: Issues And Challenges In Curriculum Reform, Charlene Tan, Vicente C. Reyes Jr

Dr. Vicente C Reyes Jr

This chapter critically discusses the key characteristics and ideological assumptions of neo-liberal education policy, and its impact on curriculum reform in China. To illustrate the adoption and consequences of neo-liberal education policy in China, this chapter focuses on recent curriculum reform in Shanghai. It is argued that there is a shift, through the implementation of neo-liberal education policy, from a “one-size-fits-all” educational model to one that focuses on individual interests and needs in China. However, the neo-liberal education policy in China faces two main challenges. First, although the educational changes attempt to promote more student- centred curriculum, pedagogy and assessment, …

Study Smarter, Not Harder, Tara T. Lineweaver, Amanda C. Gingerich

Tara T. Lineweaver

Provides tips for studying.

Research Methodology1, Abbas Madraky

Abbas Madraky

No abstract provided.

Group-Average Observables As Controls For Sorting On Unobservables When Estimating Group Treatment Effects: The Case Of School And Neighborhood Effects, Joseph G. Altonji, Richard K. Mansfield

Rick Mansfield

We consider the classic problem of estimating group treatment effects when individuals sort based on observed and unobserved characteristics. Using a standard choice model, we show that controlling for group averages of observed individual characteristics potentially absorbs all the across-group variation in unobservable individual characteristics. We use this insight to bound the treatment effect variance of school systems and associated neighborhoods for various outcomes. Across four datasets, our conservative estimates indicate that a 90th versus 10th percentile school system increases high school graduation and college enrollment probabilities by at least 0.047 and 0.11. Other applications include measurement of teacher value-added.

Internships And The Assessment Of Student Learning, William K. Templeton, Karel A. Updyke, Robert B. Bennett

William K. Templeton

The use of internships is a powerful learning tool that allow business students to make connections between their classroom experience and the world of work. If designed appropriately and positioned correctly in the curriculum, they can also be an ideal opportunity to conduct assurance of learning activities related to business school accreditation. This study reports on survey results relating to business schools’ use of internships in their assurance of learning efforts and describes one school’s successful attempt to use internships as the key platform for its well-developed assurance of learning program.

'It Has To Be About Relationships', Maureen Schlangen

Maureen E. Schlangen

Profile about Rashad M. Young '98, recipient of the National Alumni Association's Joe Belle Memorial Award in 2008. The award is named for the late Joe Belle, longtime assistant vice president for student development and director of residential services. Belle made significant contributions to the University of Dayton's Catholic and Marianist character through his exceptional caring about people. The Joe Belle Memorial Award recognizes young alumni who carry that same spirit and have shown great promise and accomplishment in their chosen profession and/or service to their community or to the University of Dayton and its mission.

Thinking Critically About Data Consumption: Creating The Data Credibility Checklist, Lisa Zilinski, Megan R. Sapp Nelson

Lisa Zilinski

As STEM areas increasingly rely on pre-existing data, either to validate or extend the scientific body of knowledge, students who have baseline knowledge of how to find, evaluate, and access data will have an advantage. Accordingly, undergraduate STEM curricula is increasingly focused on research-based group projects that develop professional skills, building the professional portfolio needed for early career scientists, technologists, and engineers. This project works to develop new tools to implement basic data skills within the undergraduate disciplinary curricula. The first step in this process was to identify the competencies that are likely to be needed by those seeking data …

Improving Graduate Employability: Strategies From Three Universities, Shelley Kinash, Linda Crane, Mark Schulz, David Dowling, Cecily Knight

Linda Crane

This paper addresses how educators can best support graduate employability. Employability means that higher education institutions and employers have supported student acquisition of the knowledge, skills and attributes that lead to career success for graduates. Three Australian universities disseminated a pilot call for graduate employability success stories. Educators responded from multiple disciplines and with diverse strategies. Qualitative analysis derived common themes in the strategies employed. The strategy emerging with the greatest frequency was supporting the development of graduate portfolios. The pilot project allowed the research team to refine the data collection methodology from a general call for success stories to …

Hy-Tek Article.Docx, N. Griggs

N. Michael Griggs

Constructive Alignment And The Curriculum: A Call For Improved Pedagogical Practices In Higher Education, Kerwin A. Livingstone

Kerwin A. Livingstone

From the turn of the century, there have been fervent calls to reform the curriculum in such a way that all students benefit. In light of heated debates, ‘constructivism’ was embraced as the new learning theory that would cause an improvement in student learning outcomes. Much later, ‘constructive alignment’ emerged, which sought to revolutionise the curriculum, significantly modifying pedagogical practices. Consequently, this article seeks to address constructive alignment in the curriculum and the urgent need to improve didactic practices in higher education. To this end, a discussion ensues on the curriculum and its necessity in pedagogy. The different approaches to …

The Value Of Academic Group Work: Faculty And Student Perceptions, Joanne Labeouf, John Griffith, Marian Schultz

John Griffith

Relationship Between Grades And Learning Mode, John C. Griffith, Donna Roberts, Marian Schultz

John Griffith

Meeting The Challenge Of Teaching The Millennial Nursing Student In A Neuman-Based Program, Cheryl Bruick Sorge, Becky A. Salmon

Becky A Salmon

No abstract provided.

Urban Partnerships Promoting Academic Excellence, Amy L. Cook, Laura A. Hayden, Robert A. Gracia

Laura A Hayden

Boston Public Schools (BPS) and the University preparation programs have developed a collaborative partnership that shares a vision for charting bright futures for all students. This program aims that incorporating service learning in curricula will prepare school counseling students to promote educational excellence and equity among urban youth, and Co-creating school counseling interventions between UMass Boston faculty and BPS personnel will foster communication and meet student needs.

Umass Boston’S School Counseling Program At Dever-Mccormack School, Amy L. Cook, Laura A. Hayden, Allie Scherer, Raphael Apter, Pamela Belford, Michael Sabin

Laura A Hayden

Given the burgeoning Latino population and the minimal research on school counseling interventions with this population, we purport to implement a culturally sensitive intervention promoting academic success among Latina youth that includes life skills, academic skills, and Latino dance.

Developing Counselor Self-Efficacy While Supporting At-Risk Youth: Partnership Between Umass Boston, Techboston Academy, And Urban Science Academy, Robert Gracia, Laura A. Hayden, Amy L. Cook, Allie Scherer

Laura A Hayden

Targeted supervision was used to develop counseling trainees’ self-efficacy when working with urban youth. Interview findings suggested that intentional strategies to develop urban self-efficacy were effective. While inferential statistics identified that urban fieldwork contributed to counselors’ self-efficacy, intentional strategies were not necessarily beneficial. This study yields implications for counselor educators who are incorporating field work into their graduate programs.

Umass Boston & Boston Scholar Athletes: Supporting Academic Achievement Through Athletics, Laura Hayden, Amy Cook, Robert Gracia, Allie Scherer, Megan Morin

Laura A Hayden

Collaborative initiatives between UMass Boston and Boston Scholar Athletes (BSA) provide learning opportunities for BPS high school student athletes and opportunities for clinical experiences among UMass Boston school counseling graduate students. Incorporating service learning into course curricula prepares school counseling graduate students to promote academic excellence among BPS scholar athletes.

Motivation For Achievement And Attitudes Toward Mathematics Instruction In A Required Calculus Course At The Norwegian University Of Science And Technology, Donna Sundre, Carol Barry, Vidar Gynnild, Erin Tangen Ostgard

Donna L. Sundre

This study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) examines students’ learning goals and attitudes toward mathematics in a first-year calculus course in undergraduate engineering education. Achievement motivation research using the Achievement Goal Questionnaire (AGQ) is advanced from current literature with two additions: (1) a course specific context using introductory college calculus students, and (2) participation of Norwegian students. Pre- and posttest measures of attitudes indicate that students do change learning goals over time, unfortunately opposite to the instructors’ aspirations. A significant increase in “Mastery Avoidance” and “Work Avoidance” was accompanied with a drop in “Mastery Approach” and …

Meeting The Challenge Of Teaching The Millennial Nursing Student In A Neuman-Based Program, Cheryl Bruick Sorge, Becky A. Salmon

Cheryl L Bruick-Sorge

No abstract provided.

A Training Framework And Follow-Up Observations For Multiculturally Inclusive Teaching: Is Believing That We Are Emphasizing Diversity Enough?, Joelle D. Elicker, Mindi N. Thompson, Andrea F. Snell, Allison L. O'Malley

Alison L. O'Malley

The authors present a theoretically and empirically grounded training for multiculturally inclusive teaching for new instructors. After implementing this training, qualitative data were gathered from instructors to identify their experience of the training and concerns related to incorporating issues of diversity into their classrooms (Study 1). At the end of the semester immediately following the training, quantitative data were gathered from instructors and their students to examine the interaction between students’ and instructors’ perceived diversity emphasis (Study 2). When allowed to choose the extent to which they incorporated issues of diversity in their classes, the instructors differentially reported emphasizing diversity …

English Language Learning Through Visual Arts Practices: A Curriculum For Conflict-Affected Youth In Secondary Education, Jennifer Lemper

Jennifer Lemper

This field project summarizes recent research in conflict and education, and presents an English language learner curriculum designed to address the current gap in quality education for conflict-affected youth. The curriculum contains six modules and develops English language literacy through student visual arts projects using text and images. The purpose of the curriculum is to familiarize students to the various confidence-building and coping mechanisms available in creative expression and to develop valuable visual and verbal language related life skills, therefore equipping students with tools to support successful futures.

Evaluation And Revision Of An Introduction To Experiential Rotations Course, Eliza A. Dy, Sarah Nisly

Sarah A. Nisly

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the perceived student value of topics taught in Butler University’s Introduction to Experiential Rotations (RX500) course, implement course revisions to address any perceived weaknesses, and to reassess the course following implementation of those course revisions. Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) students from Butler University’s 2012 doctorate of pharmacy class were initially surveyed to assess the perceived usefulness and design of RX500. Based on the findings of the initial data, course revisions were developed and implemented for the following semester’s RX500 course. In order to assess for potential changes in the perceived value …

Diversity In Times Of Austerity: Documenting Resistance In The Academy, David Moscowitz, Terri Jett, Terri Carney, Tamara Leech, Ann M. Savage

Terri M. Carney

What happens to feminism in the university is parallel to what happens to feminism in other venues under economic restructuring: while the impoverished nation is forced to cut social services and thereby send women back to the hierarchy of the family, the academy likewise reduces its footprint in interdisciplinary structures and contains academic feminists back to the hierarchy of departments and disciplines. When the family and the department become powerful arbiters of cultural values, women and feminist academics by and large suffer: they either accept a diminished role or are pushed to compete in a system they recognize as antithetical …