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2012

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Full-Text Articles in Education

Problem Solving Abilities And Perceptions In Alternative Certification Mathematics Teachers, Brian R. Evans Oct 2012

Problem Solving Abilities And Perceptions In Alternative Certification Mathematics Teachers, Brian R. Evans

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

The purpose of this study was to understand alternative certification middle and high school teachers’ mathematical problem solving abilities and perceptions. Participants were given a problem solving examination and required to reflect upon their students’ and their own problem solving. Findings revealed there was a significant improvement in problem solving abilities for the teachers over the course of the semester, and there was a direct correlation between content knowledge and problem solving ability. Teachers perceived their students’ problem solving abilities as generally weak due to not understanding how to start a problem, lack of persistence, and poor literacy skills.


Assessing Diverse Community College Students' Vocabulary Comprehension Through Context Construction, Andrea S. Salis Oct 2012

Assessing Diverse Community College Students' Vocabulary Comprehension Through Context Construction, Andrea S. Salis

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

Sixty-nine community college students completed a study which assessed their vocabulary comprehension based on their ability to define randomly selected Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) words and construct their own sentences that illustrated the meaning of the word. This research assessed students’ vocabulary comprehension through their ability to construct context. The information provided from this study demonstrates the variability of students’ vocabulary comprehension. The results of this repeated measures design, demonstrated that students mean scores were very low (5.67, 4.54, 5.54, and 5.91 out of a possible score of 50) for vocabulary definition and comprehension. This indicates that this was a …


Characteristics Of At-Risk Students: Opinions Of Elementary And Secondary School Teachers, Michael Sollitto, Robert K. Gable Oct 2012

Characteristics Of At-Risk Students: Opinions Of Elementary And Secondary School Teachers, Michael Sollitto, Robert K. Gable

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

This study focused on a major problem facing today’s educators: high school dropouts. Research questions addressed differences in teacher perspectives of the characteristics of struggling students. Differences in teachers’ perspectives based on teaching level (elementary & secondary) were examined. The researcher conducted focus groups with a total of 12 teachers. The research was conducted in two suburban districts. Focus group questions were designed following a survey administered to 108 suburban public school teachers. The survey responses reported previously identified four dimensions of characteristics of at-risk students: behavior, achievement, family involvement, and family background. The data from the focus groups can …


Faculty Curriculum Styles: Do Style Preferences Influence The Preparation Of Aspiring Teachers?, Ralph Jasparro, Felice D. Billups Oct 2012

Faculty Curriculum Styles: Do Style Preferences Influence The Preparation Of Aspiring Teachers?, Ralph Jasparro, Felice D. Billups

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

This study explored university education faculty perceptions of their curriculum styles and their influence on the preparation of aspiring teachers. Using Miller’s (2011) curriculum inventory, a sequential explanatory mixed methods design included (N =11) graduate education faculty who self-identified with one of four schools of curriculum design: linear, holistic, laissez-faire, critical theorist. A follow-up focus group was conducted with N = 7 participants, where their views and theories of curriculum were shared regarding effective design and implementation of curriculum, and the transmission of personal theories to aspiring teachers. Results may be valuable to those who prepare aspiring teachers and …


Student Self-Assessment In Middle School Mathematics: A Pilot Study, Zachary B. Warner, Fei Chen, Heidi Andrade Oct 2012

Student Self-Assessment In Middle School Mathematics: A Pilot Study, Zachary B. Warner, Fei Chen, Heidi Andrade

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

The aims of this study were to design a process of self-assessment for seventh grade mathematics students and test its effectiveness in improving performance. The treatment required the students to co-create the product quality criteria for constructed response items, use the criteria to formatively self-assess their work, and revise as needed. Although there was a statistically significant association between self-assessment and performance on only one of five items, the treatment group had a higher average score on three items and total score after controlling for prior achievement. The findings suggest that research with larger sample sizes is warranted.


Effective Elementary Mathematics Teachers: A Cross-Cultural Perspective, Rochelle Goldberg Kaplan Oct 2012

Effective Elementary Mathematics Teachers: A Cross-Cultural Perspective, Rochelle Goldberg Kaplan

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

The purpose of this research is to report on an investigation of cognitive decision-making processes used by effective elementary mathematics teachers working in a variety of cultural, language, and socio-economic settings. It was hypothesized that several processes would be documented across teachers in all schools. It was also hypothesized that processes might differ depending upon the type of school and students involved. My long range interest is in finding out what makes elementary mathematics teachers effective in order to add to the body of knowledge in this field and use the findings of this study in the service of better …


A New Resource For Educational Researchers: Pruebas Publicadas En Español (Spanish Tests In Print), Janet F. Carlson Oct 2012

A New Resource For Educational Researchers: Pruebas Publicadas En Español (Spanish Tests In Print), Janet F. Carlson

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

Increases in Hispanic populations prompt a need for additional information about tests in the Spanish language available for use in educational research. This paper describes the development of a new resource for educational researchers, Pruebas Publicadas en Español (PPE, a Spanish edition of Tests in Print) by the Buros Center for Testing. PPE provides descriptive information about educational and psychological measures available in Spanish, in whole or in part. The paper reviews initial challenges and resolutions, survey results, expected challenges, and current status, including tests requested, received, and entered in the database from which this reference volume …


Multidisciplinary Research: Science And Reading Instruction In Third Grade, Margaret Lally Queenan Oct 2012

Multidisciplinary Research: Science And Reading Instruction In Third Grade, Margaret Lally Queenan

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

This participant observer research study focused on the reading comprehension strategies third grade readers used when reading downloaded texts about cheetahs and online texts about tigers. State standards and the district’s curriculum called for third grade students to identify the structures and behaviors that help animals survive in different environments. Using participant observation; that is, teaching the third grade classes and analyzing the artifacts produced as a result, including student products such as online and offline notes and researcher products such as lesson plans and field notes, the researcher asked and answered: What are the challenges and benefits of applying …


Value Added Teacher Evaluation – A Trojan Horse; Principals Attitudes Towards Teacher Empowerment, Kevin J. Walsh Oct 2012

Value Added Teacher Evaluation – A Trojan Horse; Principals Attitudes Towards Teacher Empowerment, Kevin J. Walsh

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

The value-added teacher evaluation model may require supervisory leader behaviors inconsistent with the beliefs of principals and teachers. Educators who are forced to behave in ways contrary to their basic beliefs about how teachers grow and develop, become frustrated, devalued and candidates for flight from the profession. New Jersey principals and aspiring supervisors were surveyed using the Supervisory Behavior Inventory to gain insight into the existing supervisory beliefs and associated practices prior to a New Jersey mandated implementation of a value-added model that will be in place by September 2013. Analysis of results leads to questionable leadership implications.


Extending Classroom Discussion With Discussion Boards: Using Technology To Meet The Needs Of Diverse Learners, Barbara Rosenfeld, Jess L. Gregory Oct 2012

Extending Classroom Discussion With Discussion Boards: Using Technology To Meet The Needs Of Diverse Learners, Barbara Rosenfeld, Jess L. Gregory

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

Discussion boards are Web 2.0 tools that can extend classroom learning. The purpose of this study is to analyze the discussion board dialogue and student perceptions of discussion board use of five graduate classes on two campuses. Are there similarities in student perceptions about discussion board use? Data from class discussion board dialogues, open-ended and Likert survey questions were collected and analyzed for common trends and themes. Results of the statistical analysis will be discussed with the hope that there will be a dialogue with those present at the session so that we can exchange ideas and learn from each …


Characteristics Of The Questioning Techniques Used By Effective Elementary Teachers During Mathematics And Language Arts Lessons, Rochelle Goldberg Kaplan, Geraldine Mongillog, Dorothy Feola Oct 2012

Characteristics Of The Questioning Techniques Used By Effective Elementary Teachers During Mathematics And Language Arts Lessons, Rochelle Goldberg Kaplan, Geraldine Mongillog, Dorothy Feola

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

This presentation examined the questioning techniques used by two effective second grade New Jersey teachers, one during a mathematics lesson and the other during a language arts lesson. The mathematics lesson took place in an urban bilingual school and the language arts lesson took place in a monolingual suburban school. The extent to which the teachers used similar or different questioning techniques across the subject areas and school communities was examined. The presentation shares results of the analyses of the videotaped lessons and suggests a framework for describing key factors contributing to the teachers’ effectiveness.


Former Juvenile Offenders Re-Enrolling Into Mainstream Public Schools, Thomas Richardson, Thomas Dipaola, Robert K. Gable Oct 2012

Former Juvenile Offenders Re-Enrolling Into Mainstream Public Schools, Thomas Richardson, Thomas Dipaola, Robert K. Gable

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

This study examined school re-enrollment procedures employed by two school systems for N=578 former juvenile offenders re-enrolling from secured supervised settings to urban mainstream secondary public schools and alternative schools and programs in New England. Quantitative data regarding student demographics and qualitative data from interviews with 19 support personnel and selected documents were used to evaluate which program elements enhanced or disengaged former offenders from secondary urban schools. The characteristics of former juvenile offenders’ lack of school involvement with respect to truancy, school suspension and expulsion, learning, behavior, and emotional disabilities, as well as family, economic, and social disadvantages …


Reconsidering The Model Minority And Black Mormon Discourses, Nicholas D. Hartlep Oct 2012

Reconsidering The Model Minority And Black Mormon Discourses, Nicholas D. Hartlep

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

The main purpose of this paper is to explain how Black Mormonism is an example of model minority discourse(Hattori, 1999), and how this discourse—the model minority stereotype—is deleterious to the education of Black students


Schooling Disadvantaged Children: Heading Toward Educational Disaster By 2019, Stuart E. Smith Oct 2012

Schooling Disadvantaged Children: Heading Toward Educational Disaster By 2019, Stuart E. Smith

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

Nationally, the percentage of fourth-grade economically disadvantaged students increased from 45% in 2007 to 52% in 2011. I projected that the percentage of disadvantaged students would be, for 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019, 55%, 57%, 59%, and 60%, respectively. Unless, the nation finds a away to drastically improve the educational achievement of disadvantaged students, the nation, or a majority of states, will experience by 2019 “educational disaster.”


School Safety Planning: Barriers To Implementation Perceived By District Leadership And First Responders, David J. Alba, Robert K. Gable Oct 2012

School Safety Planning: Barriers To Implementation Perceived By District Leadership And First Responders, David J. Alba, Robert K. Gable

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

This study explored the perceptions of district and first responder leadership (N = 6) with respect to school crisis preparedness. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a stratified purposeful sampling of school, police, and fire/rescue personnel who were primarily responsible for the planning, training, and implementation of district safety policies. Overarching themes were: desire for coherence among procedures with guidance from the state level; and, ambiguity of roles and responsibilities in the event of a crisis. Participants believed the onus to foster inter-agency partnerships was the responsibility of either the state, or the partnering agencies. In addition, while the importance …


Pedaling Poverty Through Pennies, Dimes, And Disaster, Nicholas D. Hartlep Oct 2012

Pedaling Poverty Through Pennies, Dimes, And Disaster, Nicholas D. Hartlep

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

This paper synthesizes and categorizes important social justice scholarship into a useable taxonomy that social justice workers can use in their personal and professional spheres of influence. The present paper discusses the idea that although social justice activities and/or projects may originate with noteworthy missions and motivations, unless their creators are vigilant, service projects have the potential to deteriorate into myth-making initiatives that reinforce the problems that they originally intended to ameliorate.


Middle School Inclusion: Case Studies Of Three General Education Teachers, Megan Mackey Oct 2012

Middle School Inclusion: Case Studies Of Three General Education Teachers, Megan Mackey

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

Research was conducted in a middle school in the southwest United States. Over 65% of the student population qualified for free and reduced lunch and the enrollment of 36% Hispanic students and 63% white students reflected the overall make-up of the local community. This study examined how three middle school teachers included students with disabilities in their classrooms. Areas explored included preparation, training, and/or support; attitudes and beliefs; learning environment; planning; and types of adaptations. Data revealed that although all participants supported the idea of inclusion, they demonstrated varying levels of characteristics of an inclusive classroom were evident.


The Effect Of Technology On A Student's Motivation And Knowledge Retention, Mark Granito, Ellina Chernobilsky Oct 2012

The Effect Of Technology On A Student's Motivation And Knowledge Retention, Mark Granito, Ellina Chernobilsky

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact that technology has on a student's motivation to learn new information and retain said information. The procedure involved the completion of two projects over the course of a nine-week study. One group was to create traditional storybook projects. A second group was to complete computer-based projects. A third group was given the choice of which project to complete. A pre-post-retention test, Likert scale surveys, and post project interviews were used to collect the data. The results of this study support the idea that when given the choice of project, students …


Gearing Up To Gear Up: Four Perspectives On Early Implementation Considerations For Gear Up, Sousan Arafeh, Joy Fopiano, Deb Risisky, Norris Haynes Oct 2012

Gearing Up To Gear Up: Four Perspectives On Early Implementation Considerations For Gear Up, Sousan Arafeh, Joy Fopiano, Deb Risisky, Norris Haynes

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

GEAR UP, a federally-funded pre-college outreach program, strives to provide academic and other supports to middle and high school students and their families to help them prepare for, and pursue, higher education. GEAR UP was established in 1998 by President Clinton through Title IV of the 1998 Amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA). This paper utilizes a phenomenological frame to explore certain key considerations involved in the initial implementation phases of a GEAR UP grant. Four distinct qualitative phenomenological perspectives from Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) faculty members involved in a current State of Connecticut GEAR UP …


Multiple Imputation And Higher Education Research, Catherine A. Manly, Ryan S. Wells Oct 2012

Multiple Imputation And Higher Education Research, Catherine A. Manly, Ryan S. Wells

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

Higher education researchers using survey data often face decisions about handling missing data. Multiple imputation (MI) is considered by many statisticians to be the most appropriate technique for addressing missing data in many circumstances. However, our content analysis of a decade of higher education research literature reveals that the field has yet to make substantial use of this technique despite common employment of quantitative analysis, and that many recommended MI reporting practices are not being followed. We conclude that additional information about the technique and recommended reporting practices may help improve the quality of the research involving missing data. In …


Science Literacy: Exploring Middle-Level Science Curriculum Structure And Student Achievement, Sarah F. Faulkner Oct 2012

Science Literacy: Exploring Middle-Level Science Curriculum Structure And Student Achievement, Sarah F. Faulkner

NERA Conference Proceedings 2012

Although national and state science curriculum standards are based on an integrated model, there is little quantitative data supporting integration. This study explored and described the relationship between middle-level science curriculum structure and student science literacy. Specifically, it compared Connecticut science curriculum specialists’ characterizations of the degree to which their school districts’ middle-level science curriculum was integrated with their school districts’ mean scale-scores on the standardized Middle School Science CMT. An Internet-based survey was developed specifically for use in this study. Overall, participants reported a moderate level of science curriculum integration, as well as significant inconsistencies in the planning, design, …


A Middle School Guide To Debate, Mock Trial And Critical Thinking, Gary W. Levvis Sep 2012

A Middle School Guide To Debate, Mock Trial And Critical Thinking, Gary W. Levvis

Torrington Articles

This book is a guide for middle school students trying to navigate the rules and strategies of debate and mock trial. Hopefully, it will also serve as a valuable tool for teachers and coaches and, in particular, for college students who are assisting middle school debate teams as a form of community engagement.


Reconciling Whales And Lobstermen, Margaret (Peg) A. Van_Patten Ms. Aug 2012

Reconciling Whales And Lobstermen, Margaret (Peg) A. Van_Patten Ms.

Wrack Lines

Right whales are highly endangered; only 300-400 are left on earth. One of the primary causes of mortality is entanglement in fishing gear. This article is about a Sea Grant project in which lobstermen willingly shared information about how and where they fish to try and help avoid harming whales.


The Breathing Of The Bays, Jamie Vaudrey, Margaret (Peg) A. Van_Patten (Editor) Aug 2012

The Breathing Of The Bays, Jamie Vaudrey, Margaret (Peg) A. Van_Patten (Editor)

Wrack Lines

Bays in Long Island Sound and beyond have natural rhythms like breathing. Stress can impact the health of these natural ecosystems. While Long Island Sound has been examined for the extent of hypoxia in the summer, small embayments have not been examined carefully. In this article, two researchers investigate the oxygen, or lack of, in small bays of Long Island Sound.


Remembering Rms Titanic A Century Later, Margaret (Peg) A. Van_Patten Ms. Aug 2012

Remembering Rms Titanic A Century Later, Margaret (Peg) A. Van_Patten Ms.

Wrack Lines

A century after the historic ship sank in the Atlantic Ocean with massive loss of life, the memory still looms large in our imaginations. Marshall Drew, a local artist, was one of the survivors and is remembered by the author. The new Titanic exhibit at Mystic Aquarium offers a way to learn about undersea exploration technology. See this undersea museum as explorer Bob Ballard and the crew first did when they found the remains, and learn about the event, the culture of the time, and the people.


Genocide In The Classroom: How Transitional Societies Are Affected By The Quality Of Genocide Education, Leah Oppenheimer May 2012

Genocide In The Classroom: How Transitional Societies Are Affected By The Quality Of Genocide Education, Leah Oppenheimer

Honors Scholar Theses

Recognized as a legal term since 1944, genocides have been an unfortunate occurrence since the beginning of world history. However, many countries have failed to properly educate students about genocides that have taken place in their own countries by either not providing accurate or consistent information about what took place or denying the genocide outright. Additionally, in many countries, relations between formerly warring ethnic groups have not improved, despite the often large amount of time that has passed since the end of the genocide. This study examines how history education, both accurate and inaccurate, has affected the current social situation …


Honors Retention: The Persistence Of Juniors And Seniors In The Honors Program Through Examination Of Commitment To Completion Of Honors Thesis, Amy A. Holland May 2012

Honors Retention: The Persistence Of Juniors And Seniors In The Honors Program Through Examination Of Commitment To Completion Of Honors Thesis, Amy A. Holland

Honors Scholar Theses

The goal of the Honors Program is to engage intellectually stimulated students in a unique, challenging experience culminating in the writing of an undergraduate thesis, a piece of scholarly work. The four elements to the mission of the Honors Program include challenging academics, a scholarly environment, a supportive community, and on-campus engagement. This study conducted a qualitative assessment of the Honors Program through written questionnaires and oral interviews of ten juniors or seniors either completing an Honors Thesis or not committed to the Thesis. This research did not find significant differences between these two groups due in part to small …


Bar Graphs & Baselines: Student Perceptions Of Distortions In Real World Graphs, Robert K. Janes Iii May 2012

Bar Graphs & Baselines: Student Perceptions Of Distortions In Real World Graphs, Robert K. Janes Iii

Honors Scholar Theses

It is important for every educated member of our society to be able to read, comprehend, and interpret graphs. To that end, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and the Common Core State Standards have endorsed a kindergarten through eighth-grade mathematics curriculum that is rich in data analysis and graphical literacy skills. These skills are important, as graphs in the public sphere may include certain features that can cause misperceptions of the data. Such features may be intentional or unintentional and can include non-zero baselines, representing data with extra dimensions, stretching and shrinking graphics, not displaying outliers, and …


Examining Pre Service Teacher Knowledge Of Student Rights And Tort Liability, Alexi Wiemer May 2012

Examining Pre Service Teacher Knowledge Of Student Rights And Tort Liability, Alexi Wiemer

Honors Scholar Theses

This study explored how knowledgeable pre service teachers in the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut were in the field of student rights and tort liability. This field has grown in importance due to a recent increase in student lawsuits and the expectations that teachers know these laws when they become certified. A total of 183 students were given a survey in their education classes with 27 statements of famous misconceptions about student rights and tort liability. Students were asked to determine if these statements were true or false and how confident they were in their answer. …


Changing Roles: Special Education Teachers In A Response To Intervention Model, Julia A. Leonard May 2012

Changing Roles: Special Education Teachers In A Response To Intervention Model, Julia A. Leonard

Honors Scholar Theses

In response to policy, research, and practice, the field of special education evolves to meet the demands of the current education system (Brownell, Singeral, Kiely, & Danielson, 2010). The most current educational model, Response to Intervention (RTI) has prompted changes in all aspects of special education service delivery. The purpose of this honors thesis is to provide quantitative and qualitative exploration of the changing roles of special educators in relation to RTI implementation. The study methodology includes a quantitative 48-question survey and a qualitative follow-up interview. The results from the study indicate that special education teachers perceive an increase in …