Education Commons^™

Improving Young Children's Learning In Economically Developing Countries: What Works, Why, And Where? Scoping Review, Jen Jackson, Syeda Kashfee Ahmed, Toby Carslake, Petra Lietz

Dr Jen Jackson

This scoping review responds to the increasing interest in improving early childhood education and care (ECEC) in economically developing countries. It examines available research in relation to the question: What effective interventions have been implemented recently in economically developing countries to improve children’s learning in the years before school? As much of the research underpinning ECEC interventions has focused on economically developed countries, it is timely to review available research about the effectiveness of interventions in the economically developing world. The ECEC interventions were categorised as Income supplementation (n=8); Parent-focused interventions (n=37); Child-focused education and nurturing care (n=35); Integrated interventions …

Benchmarking Professional Development Practices Across Youth-Serving Organizations: Implications For Extension, Barry A. Garst, Sarah Baughman, Nancy K. Franz

Barry A Garst

Examining traditional and contemporary professional development practices of youth-serving organizations can inform practices across Extension, particularly in light of the barriers that have been noted for effectively developing the professional competencies of Extension educators. With professional development systems changing quickly, particularly through online education and blended learning opportunities, benchmarks need to guide new research around best practices in professional development. Although many program providers have not established benchmarks for professional development, a few cases exist. This article examines the current state of professional development practices of youth-serving organizations and offers recommendations for improving Extension professional development practices.

Facilitating Advanced Thinking Skills Through Problem-Based Learning, Charles T. Wynn Sr., Richard S. Mosholder

Charles Wynn

We will present a problem-based learning model (PBL) designed to promote postformal problem-solving skills among college students in a U.S. history survey course/first-year learning community and we will review results from two studies in which the outcomes of the PBL model were compared to the outcomes of the same course taught with traditional lecture/discussion. The PBL model was more effective in scaffolding students to recognize and practice postformal thinking dynamics and in facilitating self-reported student perceptions of increased course engagement and content relevance. A procedural overview of one of the PBL activities and the metacognitive reflection guide used in our …

Educational Technology : A Review Of The Research, Ann Thompson, Michael R. Simonson, Connie Hargrave

Constance P. Hargrave

Educational Technology: A Review of the Research, 2nd Edition was written with the teacher, trainer, graduate student, professor, and media specialist in mind. It provides a brief, yet comprehensive, overview of the theories and research that support the use of technology in teaching and learning. In addition to including a historical perspective on the research and theory foundations of the profession of educational technology, Educational Technology: A Review of the Research, 2nd Edition presents current research that constitutes the basis for use of newer technologies.

Educational Technology : A Review Of The Research, Ann D. Thompson, Michael R. Simonson, Connie Hargrave

Constance P. Hargrave

Educational Technology: A Review of the Research was written with the teacher, trainer, graduate student, professor, and media specialist in mind. It provides a brief, yet comprehensive, overview of the theories and research that support the use of technology in teaching and learning. In addition to providing a historical perspective on the research and theory foundations of the profession of educational technology, Educational Technology: A Review of the Research presents current research that constitutes the basis for use of newer technologies, such as a cross section of all research dealing with educational technology, not merely the positive studies.

Sprinting Toward Genre Knowledge: Scaffolding Graduate Student Communication Through "Sprints" In Finance And Engineering Courses, Lindsey Ives, Jayendra Gokhale, William C. Barott, Michael V. Perez

Lindsey Ives

This article evaluates the use of biweekly deadlines called “Sprints” to scaffold the development of conference papers in graduate-level courses in econometric modeling and electrical engineering through analysis of faculty assessment reports, observation notes, and transcripts of two audio-recorded class sessions. Data were analyzed to identify Tardy’s (2009) four dimensions of genre knowledge: subject-matter, rhetorical, process, and formal knowledge. We found that Sprints provide consistent opportunities for students to provide and receive helpful formative feedback that builds disciplinary genre knowledge in each of the four dimensions. We conclude by recommending strategies for maximizing Sprints’ benefits while minimizing potential drawbacks in …

Preparation Of School Counselors And Response To Intervention: A Profession At The Crossroads, Melissa S. Ockerman, Eva Patrikakou, Amy Feiker Hollenbeck

Eva N. Patrikakou

As a result of the Response to Intervention (RTI) mandate in schools across many states, school counselors are uniquely positioned to a take a leadership role within its implementation. This research study examines how school counselors in one such state perceive their training and knowledge of RTI and thus their confidence in implementing it. Implications for training, supervision, professional development and future research are discussed.

Tablets As Powerful Tools For University Research: Teaching The Relevant Skills, Robin Canuel, Chad Crichton, Maria Savova

Maria Savova

The increasing popularity of tablet computers in recent years is beginning to transform the way that library users, and in particular postsecondary students and faculty, find and engage with digital content. In response to these changes, university librarians are tailoring information literacy instruction to highlight the advantages of these technologies to their constituencies and to ensure that their users understand the myriad issues involved in effectively leveraging these advantages to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their research. Chapter 6 of Library Technology Reports (vol. 48, no. 8) “Rethinking Reference and Instruction with Tablets” examines the creation of university library …

Testing An Instrument Using Structured Interviews To Assess Experienced Teachers’ Tpack, Judi Harris, Neal Grandgenett, Mark J. Hofer

Mark Hofer

In 2010, the authors developed, tested, and released a reliable and valid instrument that can be used to assess the quality of inexperienced teachers’ TPACK by examining their detailed written lesson plans. In the current study, the same instrument was tested to see if it could be used to assess the TPACK evident in experienced teachers’ planning in the form of spoken responses to semi-structured interview questions. Interrater reliability was computed using both Intraclass Correlation (.870) and a score agreement (93.6%) procedure. Internal consistency (using Cronbach’s Alpha) was .895. Test-retest reliability (score agreement) was 100%. Taken together, these results demonstrate …

What's In Our Assessment Utility Belt, A. Carey Huddlestun

A. Carey Huddlestun

Assessing The Impact Of Racism On Black Faculty In White Academe: A Collective Case Study Of African American Female Faculty, Karen Dade, Carlie Tartakov, Connie Hargrave, Patricia Leigh

Constance P. Hargrave

Using a case study approach, the authors o f this article strive to explore the challenges and adverse impact that faculty o f color often experience due to structural inequities, institutional racism, and the lack o f cultural awareness on the part o f White institutions. Furthermore, the purpose o f this article is to demonstrate that even when there is a significant number o f faculty members o f color, stereotyping and discrimination still occur and often impact the promotion, retention, and experiences o f newly recruited faculty o f color. Our narratives as African American female faculty are …

Examination Of An Emerging Community Of Practice For Instructional Designers: A Descriptive Case Study In A Midwestern University, Jiaqi Yu, Connie Hargrave

Constance P. Hargrave

This study examined the functioning of a group of instructional designers (IDs) in higher education through the lens of Communities of Practice (CoPs). The study particularly focused on whether and how the grouping of experienced and novice IDs operated as an effective CoP from the perspective of novices. The findings indicated that a group of IDs working in a midwestern university was able to cultivate a CoP within a clearly defined domain, a well-established community, and the shared practice with a specific body of knowledge. Particularly from the perspectives of novices, they highlighted the positive impact while participating in the …

Examination Of An Emerging Community Of Practice For Instructional Designers: A Descriptive Case Study In A Midwestern University, Jiaqi Yu, Connie Hargrave

Constance P. Hargrave

This study examined the functioning of a group of instructional designers (IDs) in higher education through the lens of Communities of Practice (CoPs). The study particularly focused on whether and how the grouping of experienced and novice IDs operated as an effective CoP from the perspective of novices. The findings indicated that a group of IDs working in a midwestern university was able to cultivate a CoP within a clearly defined domain, a well-established community, and the shared practice with a specific body of knowledge. Particularly from the perspectives of novices, they highlighted the positive impact while participating in the …

Student And Teacher Attitudes Toward Giftedness In A Two Laboratory School Environment: A Case For Conducting A Needs Assessment, Jennifer Riedl Cross, Tracy Cross, Andrea D. Frazier

Jennifer Cross

Providing effective professional development in laboratory schools around topics that can be divisive, such as preparing a school environment for expansion of gifted education services, can be quite difficult. However, doing so based on data collected through a needs assessment can be invaluable to the planning process. As part of a needs assessment in preparation to enroll 100 new gifted students, students and teachers (N=171) from a unique setting in which a residential school for gifted high school students is housed within a laboratory school were surveyed using F. Gagné and L. Nadeau’s (1991) Opinions about the Gifted …

Assessment Of Teacher Dispositions With The Etq2: A Guided-Reflection And Rasch Model Analysis, W. Steve Lang, Lasonya L. Moore, Judy Wilkerson

LaSonya Moore

Queensland Teacher Workload Study: Final Report To The Queensland Teachers’ Union, Sheldon Rothman, Lawrence Ingvarson, Darren Matthews

Dr Sheldon Rothman

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) conducted an online survey of members on behalf of the Queensland Teachers’ Union (QTU). The survey was open to teachers, school leaders (principals and assistant principals) and heads of program working in Queensland government schools. It was based on one conducted for the Victorian branch of the Australian Education Union (AEU) in 2016 and the AEU – Tasmanian Branch in 2017. The survey of the work of union members in Queensland government schools focussed on the hours of work by school staff, staff perceptions of their work, and the relationship between work practices …

Queensland Teacher Workload Study: Final Report To The Queensland Teachers’ Union, Sheldon Rothman, Lawrence Ingvarson, Darren Matthews

Dr Lawrence Ingvarson (Consultant)

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) conducted an online survey of members on behalf of the Queensland Teachers’ Union (QTU). The survey was open to teachers, school leaders (principals and assistant principals) and heads of program working in Queensland government schools. It was based on one conducted for the Victorian branch of the Australian Education Union (AEU) in 2016 and the AEU – Tasmanian Branch in 2017. The survey of the work of union members in Queensland government schools focussed on the hours of work by school staff, staff perceptions of their work, and the relationship between work practices …

Buk Bilong Pikinini Literacy Program Evaluation 2018: Evaluation Report, Dan Cloney, Prue Anderson

Dr Dan Cloney

Buk bilong Pikinini (BbP) provides access to early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs with a specific focus on English language literacy for children from vulnerable communities in Papua New Guinea. This is highly relevant, given the fact that there is likely an over-representation of illiteracy in disadvantaged households and few opportunities for children within those households to be ready for a school system with English as the language of instruction. Established in 2007, BbP has been in operation for more than 10 years and has opened 17 library sites in that time. This evaluation provides evidence about the likely …

Review Of The Piaac Numeracy Assessment Framework: Final Report, Dave Tout, Diana Coben, Vince Geiger, Lynda Ginsburg, Kees Hoogland, Terry Maguire, Sue Thomson, Ross Turner

Ross Turner

The Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) is an international assessment of the proficiency of adults (aged 16-65 years) in key information processing skills (reading, numeracy and Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments). The PIAAC Survey of Adult Skills has revealed that a considerable number of adults in OECD countries possess only limited literacy and numeracy skills. The OECD is currently reviewing the content of the frameworks and cognitive assessment instruments for the 2nd cycle of PIAAC ready for delivery in 2021-22. This report is the result of a review of the numeracy construct and assessment in PIAAC. …

Openness To A Paradigm Shift In Medical Education Assessment – A Case Study, Elina Tor

Elina Tor

Black Women Personhood.Png, Lynell Hodge

Lynell Hodge, EdD

Pre-Service Teachers’ Perspectives On How The Use Of Toon Comic Books During Guided Reading Influenced Learning By Struggling Readers, Ewa Mcgrail, Alicja Rieger, Gina M. Doepker, Samantha Mcgeorge

Gina Doepker

The study presented in this article examines the use of comic books, specifically the TOON comic books during guided reading instruction. The instruction was provided to struggling readers by the Literacy Center at a comprehensive university in southeastern United States. What most pre-service teachers in this study agreed upon was that comic books served as an effective tool for getting their students interested in reading. Reading comic books with tutors as partners in conversation with the struggling readers in this study was also a powerful medium for facilitating students’ literacy skills development, particularly in the areas of reading fluency and …

Validating Professional Standards For Teachers: A Practical Guide For Research Design: Snapshot Literature Review, Jen Jackson, Yung Nietschke

Dr Jen Jackson

This report aims to establish a strong evidence base for planning a validation study of professional standards for teachers. It presents findings from a rapid "snapshot" review of relevant research literature, to identify previous examples of validation studies, and extract lessons from these about worthwhile methods and considerations in research design. This review was originally conducted to inform the design of a validation study of the draft Myanmar Teacher Competency Standards Framework, but may also have wider relevance to other education systems pursuing similar standards-based reforms. This report presents findings from the literature review. It is divided into four sections: …

Health Promotion Practice And The Road Ahead: Addressing Enduring Gaps And Encouraging Greater Practice-To-Research Translation, Amanda Birnbaum, Mark D. Rivera

Amanda Birnbaum

A decade ago, Lancaster and Roe described four critical gaps (i.e., communications, accessibility, credibility, and expectations) between research and practice in health education and health promotion that formed the framework for this department. Despite considerable attention and some progress, these gaps persist and are barriers to interaction and translation between health promotion and health education research and practice. Looking to the next several years as the new Associate Editors for this department, we renew the department’s commitment toward addressing these enduring gaps around which we frame new questions and invite continued dialogue.

Faculty Views Of “Nontraditional” Students: Aligning Perspectives For Student Success, Desiree D. Zerquera, Mary Ziskin, Vasti Torres

Mary B. Ziskin

Faculty serve as a primary point of contact for students in college, playing vital roles in students’ retention and attainment. The perceptions and beliefs held by these institutional actors are important for understanding the context that shapes students’ experiences while they are in college and potentially, long after they leave. The purpose of this work is to examine faculty members’ perceptions of nontraditional student experiences. Findings highlight faculty members’ awareness of students’ multiple roles and obligations; perceptions of student academic success, including barriers to succeeding; and the ways faculty connect with students and the types of connections they forge. The …

Performance-Based Funding Of Higher Education: Analyses Of Policy Discourse Across Four Case Studies, Mary Ziskin, Karyn E. Rabourn, Donald Hossler

Mary B. Ziskin

Performance-based funding (PBF) for public colleges and universities is increasingly prevalent worldwide, as a part of a broader pattern of marketisation in public education. This study focused on developing an empirical view of how, and in what contexts, policy makers use the concepts of neoliberal economics to design and support PerformanceBased Funding (PBF) policies in higher education. We analysed 121 policy documents, white papers, evaluation reports, and news items related to PBF policies in four case jurisdictions: Tennessee, Washington, United Kingdom, and Italy. We employed critical discourse analysis methods as framed by Fairclough and colleagues and implemented this approach within …

This Is Your Brain On Research: Cognitive Theory And Assignment Construction, Jennifer R. Mart-Rice, Franklin Runge, Alyson Drake

Jennifer Mart-Rice

Concurrent Enrollment Benchmark Data And Self-Study Report 2014 .Pdf, Ron J. Hammond

Ron J. Hammond

Advancing Higher Education As A Field Of Study, Sydney Freeman Jr., Linda Serra Hagedorn, Lester F. Goodchild, Dianne A. Wright

Linda Serra Hagedorn

Where is higher education as a field of study going in this century? How will higher education program leaders design and sustain their degree programs' vitality in the face of perennial challenges from inside and outside the academy? While in 1979 the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) defined standards for student affairs master's level preparation, and while 2010 saw the adoption of guidelines for higher education administration and leadership preparation programs at the master's degree level, there still are, however, no guidelines that address higher education leadership doctoral programs, despite increasing demands for assessment and …

Report Results Of Webex Versus Nonsurvey 30 April 2016.Pdf, Ron J. Hammond

Ron J. Hammond