Education Commons^™

Leadership And Instructional Coaching: A Synthesis Of Approaches And Practices That Promote Change, Katie L. Perkins

Essays in Education

The aim of this educational essay is to provide a literature-based synthesis of the leadership approaches and practices of instructional coaches that best support teacher development. The essay is grounded in transformational leadership theory (Bass & Avolio, 1990) and synthesizes three main constructs for effective instructional coaching. These constructs include: andragogical practices (Knowles, 2015), the ethics of care (Beck, 1994), and organizational change (Burke, 2014). Incorporating these leadership practices may encourage effective teacher-coach relationships, promote teacher development and retention, and ultimately increase student success.

Interaction Effects Of Undergraduate Students' Factors And Two Instruction Modalities On Academic Performance In A Stem Course, Olubusayo Foluso Adebusuyi Dr., Ademola K. Badru Dr

Essays in Education

Presently, schools are changing from a face-to-face (F2F) teaching mode to an online or virtual mode of teaching. Research has shown the two instruction modes to affect students' success positively. However, studies investigating the interaction effects of students' factors that could enhance the effectiveness of the two modes of instruction are limited. This study examines how age, socioeconomic status (SES), and course of study affect how well students do in both face-to-face and online settings.

The study employed an ex post facto design. Students' assessment results and demographic data were utilized to collect data for the study. The sample comprised …

Skills To Pay The Bills: A Review Of College Student Employability Literature, Christopher Burnett, Zachary W. Taylor

Essays in Education

Research has shown that many U.S. college students do not graduate with employable skills beyond academic competency to facilitate their professional success post-graduation. Moreover, researchers have found that academic- and industry-specific knowledge alone is inadequate to help college graduates secure a job and meet the demands of the contemporary, nuanced, dynamic work environment. In addressing decreases in state and federal allocations for higher education and the added pressure to produce work-ready college graduates, institutions have grappled with how to enhance student workforce development and prepare students for the labor market. As a result, this literature review provides a comprehensive, global …

Utilizing Counter Narratives To Develop Culturally Sustaining, Critically Conscious Preservice Teacher Practitioners, David Wolff

Essays in Education

The content areas that get most attention in an elementary classroom include mathematics and English/Language Arts (ELA), and little time is devoted to other content areas like social studies. Preservice elementary teachers can learn to maximize instructional time by integrating social studies content in the ELA block. Using counternarratives, preservice teachers can learn to use children’s literature to teach multiple perspectives to the dominant narrative in the textbooks. This article shares strategies to present counternarratives and examples of children’s literature that can be used in an elementary classroom.

The Relationship Between Teachers' Interaction Strategies And Student Oral Involvement, An Ngoc Minh Pham

Essays in Education

A lot of research has focused on exploring reasons for and solutions to Asian students’ reticence in speaking. It is found that their unwillingness to speak is affected not only by the students themselves but also by the situations they are placed in. However, there is still space to explore how teachers use interaction strategies to enhance students’ speaking involvement, especially in Vietnam. This paper examines the relationship between teacher interaction strategies and student oral involvement. The data were collected via audio-recording and class observation. Five experienced teachers and their respective classes at a center for foreign languages were invited …

A Review Of My Teaching Philosophy Through A Covid-19 Lens, Michelle L. Boettcher

Essays in Education

This essay focuses on how the pandemic has informed my teaching philosophy and centered the humanness of students rather than course content or my role, identity, and pedagogy as instructor. The article includes three examples from my teaching philosophy: Expertise, Mistakes, and Reflection. As a result of the pandemic, I have added caring as a part of course content, reframed the idea of “no excuse” for late work, and incorporated reflection as an element of academic rigor. As a result, a renewed focus on student learning has usurped my past inclination to focusing on my teaching in my philosophy statement.

Covid-19’S Influence On Mental Health Among Collegiate Student-Athletes, Jacob Balliu, Steven M. Baule

Essays in Education

The world was struck by turmoil as the COVID-19 virus surged to the surface. Affecting the lives of many. In a matter of days, the process of daily living got a new meaning. The new lifestyle of living consisted of wearing masks, self-quarantining for fourteen days, and socially distancing six feet apart. From the perspective of a college student, life was flipped upside down. Classes were moved online, and students were asked to not be on campuses across the country for months on end. Collegiate student-athletes had it much rougher. Due to the global pandemic multiple sport seasons were cancelled …

Factors Affect Students’ Satisfaction In Blended Learning Courses In A Private University In Vietnam, Tuong Cao Dinh Mr., Kien Trung Dao Mr., Duyen Kim Quach Mss., Nhu Phan To Ha Mss., Mai Cam Ho Mss.

Essays in Education

Blended learning, a combination of online and offline learning, is believed to enhance students’ self-learning, and help increase their learning performances. To successfully operate a blended learning system, increasing the learners’ satisfaction seems to be an important task. Moreover, there should be a duty to understand the self-efficacy of a student to encourage them to participate in this course (Chen & Yao, 2016). As a result, knowing the internal or external factors that influence student satisfaction in blended learning is critical for the effective design of blended learning courses in the future (Graham, Henrie, & Gibbons, 2013). In this study, …

Specialized Accreditation In Collegiate Aviation: A Case Study On Evaluative Inquiry Practices Required By The Aviation Accreditation Board International, Jordan G. Lyons

Essays in Education

Market changes within the aviation industry have increased the demand for aviation professionals worldwide (Christensen, 2013). The Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI) represents the only specialized accrediting organization in the world for non-engineering collegiate aviation programs (Council for Higher Education Accreditation [CHEA], 2020), and their mission is to advance quality aviation education in partnership with industry (AABI, 2019b). In 2019, AABI expanded its continuous assessment criteria despite issuing citations previously to accredited collegiate aviation programs for non-compliance predominately with continuous assessment and improvement requirements (AABI, 2020). Program accreditation through AABI has demonstrated value to students (Bjerke et al., 2016; Christensen, …

Re-Conceptualizing Food Consumption And Its Educational Values, Chi Hong Nguyen, Toan Quoc Tran, Hay Ngoc Huynh, Linh Thuy Pham, Chi Thien Huu Le

Essays in Education

Food consumption has been largely researched in many areas. Most extant studies have highlighted the influences of socio-economic and cultural factors on people’s eating habits. These studies inform policy strategies by proposing campaigns and methods to improve nutritional intake among people of diverse socio-economic and geographical backgrounds. At the same time, they implicitly point out that food consumption may carry educational values that are co-constructed through food eaters’ engagement with the world. This requires researchers to go beyond the current methodological approaches that epistemologically focus on the factors that influence nutritional intake and eating habits. While little is known about …

Linguistic Hurdles Faced By English L2 Speakers Pursuing U.S. Higher Education: What The Research Tells Us And Pathways Forward, Z W. Taylor

Essays in Education

Decades of extant research has suggested English learners (ELs or English L2 students) and their support networks do not access United States (U.S.) higher education at the same level as their English-fluent (or English L1 peers). Similarly, decades of research have suggested U.S. higher education ought to adopt a polylingual approach to postsecondary access, yet little has changed since the work began in the early 1980s. This critical review synthesizes this work, includes recent work, and criticizes a stubborn U.S. higher education system for failing to embrace linguistic minorities and improve access to the U.S. higher education system for minoritized …

Deconstructing The Anomaly Of India’S Higher Education Ranking Framework: A Case Of Misdirected Selection Of Evaluation Parameters, Praveen B. Malla Dr.

Essays in Education

Indian higher educational institutions (HEIs) are not making it to the top of the global ranking tables, except for a few. The Indian government has taken cognizance of this failure and launched a domestic ranking framework to foster competition and consequently improve quality of education. Interestingly, the framework is riddled with issues of misdirected metric selection. Given the complexity and vastness of the Indian higher education ecosystem this one-size-fits-all framework is not appropriate.

Public universities are predominantly policy driven and have a charter that is not in line with the mandate of the private and deemed universities. Likewise, institutions of …

A Renewal Of Civic Education In The United States: Committing To Multiculturalism And Media Literacy, James E. Schul, Nicholas P. Wysocki

Essays in Education

Recent events have spurred for a renewal in civic education in the United States. Building upon an essay in an earlier volume of Essays in Education, the authors of this essay argue that a renewal of civic education in the United States must include a sturdy commitment to both multiculturalism and media literacy. In this essay, the authors provide background and context as to why these two areas need to be focused upon and provide pragmatic direction to policy makers, school officials, and teachers may swiftly and effectively commit schools to both multiculturalism and media literacy.

Vietnam’S Human Capital Development Processes, Chi Hong Nguyen

Essays in Education

This article describes the historical evolvement of human capacity building in Vietnam since the end of the Vietnam War. While current research has focused on investigating the motives of international students, skilled migrants and effects of skill migration policies, this article uses a historical approach to unpacking key political documents mostly published in Vietnamese to explore how human capital has been trained, used and retained. Eight successive phases for human capital development projects are analyzed through key publications by the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Central Government and related literature. It argues that human capital is not solely an individual’s …

Book Review: Paradoxes Of The Public School By James Schul, George Morrow

Essays in Education

Preparing teachers is critical to the health of American schools, communities, and our working democracy. This textbook introduces future teachers to the rich and complex world of the public-school educator. Using fourteen social, pedagogical, and political paradoxes the book reveals the historical events, personalities, and theories which have crafted today’s schools as well as the many issues surrounding the daily life of the teacher. This book engages future teachers in their critical role as meaningful players in the social context of an evolving world.

Should Reading Be A Core Class In Middle School?, Irica R. Dunkley

Essays in Education

This article discusses the value of reading as a core class in middle school. Research has shown that Language Arts, tasked with reading instruction, is insufficient for the development of the reading ability of middle students. Students are also expected to develop their reading skills through other core classes, such as Science, Social Studies, and Mathematics, but the development of reading ability is secondary in these classes. On the contrary, reading as a core class could improve reading achievement as it would be mandatory and provide all middle school students with explicit reading instruction by trained reading teachers.

Extension - A Novel Approach To Inquiry Learning With The 5e'S, Timothy C. Indahl, Megan Planchard, Madeleine E. M. Hammerlund, Chris Pierret

Essays in Education

The present article describes the employment of a unique element to inquiry-based science learning in k-12 classrooms, and in particular the 5E model. Extension is a process that emerged from the elaboration phase of the 5E model that is fundamentally composed of two elements: novel scientific research and scientific partnership. Extension is a phase that allows students to extend learning from an inquiry-based science curricular unit into novelty, which is essentially a research question for which there is currently no scientific answer. This process is supported through partnership with a practicing scientist from the local community, if at all possible. …

The Research Landscape Of Current Vietnamese Skilled Migration, Chi Hong Nguyen

Essays in Education

Although research on labour migration from Vietnam seems to be solid, that on skilled migration is paid scant attention to. Aiming to contribute further understandings to this gap, this article outlines basic streams of research on Vietnam’s migration and points out weaknesses in current research on Vietnamese skilled migration. In addressing this deficit, this paper identifies six limitations: (1) a discrete nationalism outlook, (2) a limited use of relevant conceptual frameworks, (3) a lack of empirical evidence on migrants’ transnational practices, (4) the absence of migrants’ voices, (5) the inclusion of Vietnamese migrants in Asian migrant groups, and (6) a …

No One Size Fits All: Key Debates In Transnationalism Research, Chi Hong Nguyen

Essays in Education

Migration is often examined through different theories and approaches such as cultural theories, policy and economic frameworks and transnationalism. Most of these approaches unpack the key components of migration that include effects of social structures on agency, influences of transnational ties, migrants’ successes and lives in limbo as well as cultural norms and gender roles. These have succeeded in offering a well-informed understanding of migration as embodied processes that are formed by migrants’ interactions with the surrounding world. As an embodied approach, transnationalism looks into various aspects of migrants’ lives across space and time. It entails various units of analysis. …

Spreading The Good Word: What Student Affairs Can Learn From The Jehovah's Witnesses, Z. W. Taylor

Essays in Education

Although institutions of higher education are thoroughly polylingual, evidenced by the linguistic diversity thriving on college campuses all over the United States and beyond, postsecondary communication is primarily in English. As a result, this conceptual essay introduces the translation and equity work performed by the Jehovah's Witnesses and how that work may translate into student affairs and higher education work.

Propelling Schools Forward: Five Initiatives To Improve American Public Education, James E. Schul

Essays in Education

American public education has long been a pivotal institution for shaping our society. With that said, it is paramount that American public education shapes our society in a progressive and forward manner. This article proposes five initiatives that have promise to propel American public education in such a progressive manner. These initiatives include replacing high stakes testing with a comprehensive accountability program; empowering teachers to develop the macro-curriculum; increase social services; include exceptional learners in the general curriculum; and take civic education seriously. The nature of these initiatives is explained in detail.

Reframing Solutions To Mental Health In Higher Education, Alan Cromlish

Essays in Education

Universities in the U.S. have seen their students’ experience an increase in mental health issues that relate to their personal development and academic performance. The development of non-profit organizations that specifically address the issue of mental health in higher education and recent trends of improving wellness and well-being have seen universities increase professionals to treat mental health issues as well as programs that develop wellness in students. The continued increase of mental health issues in conjunction with the increase of supportive measures for students suggests that universities need to reframe solutions to the issues that students experience. Finland and Aalto …

Developmental Achievement Versus Standardized Growth: Common Curricula & The Not So Common Student, Robert J. Howman, Corey Livieri

Essays in Education

Challenged is the presumed value of standardization in public education, especially the notion that student achievement is synonymous with performance on summative criteria insensitive to the unique characteristics of every child. This research was initially conducted during the 2010-11 regular academic year. It has since been replicated with similar results.

The overarching question driving the study: “How do educators effectively meet the individual needs of highly diverse students in this era of standardization?” In other words, how do we maintain the human element of teaching, which is so critical for positive child and adolescent development?

Examined are two team-taught 10 …

Special Education In Juvenile Residential Facilities: Can Animals Help?, Sally E. Thigpen, Stephanie K. Ellis, Rebecca G. Smith

Essays in Education

Children with emotional/behavioral disorders (EBD) are arguably one of the highest at-risk groups for dropping out before graduating high school. They are the group of students with disabilities who are most likely to be educated in residential facilities. Residential facilities such as Green Chimneys have incorporated animals into the treatment milieu with success. Animals have been used in various settings to improve the quality of life as well as the emotional and physical needs of people served by these facilities. This article describes the requirements for using animals in residential treatment, the limitations of such programs, and the research findings …

Editorial, Mehmet Bahar, Huseyin Bag

Essays in Education

Editors' Note

Turkish Prospective Teachers Perspective Of Different Types Of Exams: Multiple Choice, Essay And Computerized-Type Testing, Neset Demirci

Essays in Education

The major aim of this study was to compare prospective teachers’ attitudes and natures toward teacher-made essay, multiple-choice type versus computerized-type exams. The primary study was conducted on a sample of 393 prospective teachers (specifically, students from 33 physics education, 93 science education, 66 computer education, and 201 elementary education departments) at Necatibey Faculty of Education, in Balıkesir, Turkey who were administered a test attitude inventory specifically designed to assess prospective teachers’ attitudes toward essay, multiple choice versus computerized type formats on a variety of critical dimensions. The data from study was pointing to more favorable prospective teachers’ attitudes towards …

Teaching Of Newton's Laws: Force And Motion: The Effectiveness Of Demonstrations, Refik Dilber

Essays in Education

In this study, we investigated effects of demonstrations on teaching of force and motion concepts compared with traditional instruction. The participants of this study consisted of 68 undergraduate students who taking the course in two different classes from the same teacher. One of the classes was assigned randomly to the control group, and the other class was assigned randomly to the experimental group. During teaching the topic of force and motion concepts in the physics curriculum, demonstrations were applied in the experimental group whereas in the control group traditional instruction was followed for the period of four weeks. As a …

Development And Current Status Of Science Education Research In Turkey, Mustafa Sozbilir, Hulya Kutu

Essays in Education

The aim of this study is to determine the status and the trends of subject matters investigated, research methods/design and data analyses procedures used in science education research papers published in Turkey. Data were obtained from 413 papers concerning science education from 28 different journals publishing educational research in Turkey. Each paper was subjected to a content analysis in terms of the subject studied, the research design/method and data analysis methods used according to the Paper Classification Form (PCF) developed by the first author. This document analysis has showed that although the science education research is a new research enterprise …

Reflections Of The Understanding Of Assessment Adopted In The 4th And 5th Grade Science And Technology Curriculum In Textbooks, Zekeriya Nartgun

Essays in Education

The purpose of this study is to determine to what extent the understanding of assessment adopted in the renewed Primary Education 4th and 5th grade Science and Technology Curriculum is reflected in textbooks – student course books, student workbooks and teachers’ books- prepared by the related publishers and approved for use by the Turkish Republic of Ministry of National Education. The research is a qualitative study based on a document analysis. The analysis in the curriculum revealed that the understanding of assessment of the curriculum focused on “diversity in measurement techniques”, “multi-purpose use of measurement results” and “continuity in measurement …

A Cross-Cultural Study: Middle School Students' Beliefs About Matter, Mary B. Nakhleh, Ala Samarapungavan, Yilmaz Saglam, Erdine Duru

Essays in Education

Turkish middle school students’ understanding of the nature of matter was examined and compared to those of US counterparts. Sixteen Turkish middle school students were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. The interview explored students’ understanding of the particulate nature of matter in three areas: (1) the composition of the substances; (2) the relationship between particulate structure and macroscopic properties; (3) the relationship between particulate structure and processes. The results indicated that many of the middle school students interviewed could state that matter was composed of atoms. However, the majority of them were not able to use this understanding to …