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Full-Text Articles in Education

Departmental Action Teams: A Five-Year Update On A Model For Sustainable Change, Daniel Reinholz, Mary Pilgrim, Karen Falkenberg, Courtney Ngai, Gina Quan, Sarah Wise, Chris Geanious, Joel Corbo, Noah Finkelstein Nov 2018

Departmental Action Teams: A Five-Year Update On A Model For Sustainable Change, Daniel Reinholz, Mary Pilgrim, Karen Falkenberg, Courtney Ngai, Gina Quan, Sarah Wise, Chris Geanious, Joel Corbo, Noah Finkelstein

Faculty Publications

Fostering sustainable improvements in undergraduate education remains a formidable challenge. To address this challenge, our team has developed the Departmental Action Team (DAT) model. DATs are small working groups of faculty, students, and staff, that work collaboratively to envision, plan, develop, and build sustainable structures in their department. To support the uptake of such structures, DATs collect and analyze data to reflect on the root causes of an issue, which they use to shift beliefs, values, and practices within their context. This paper provides a five-year status report on the DAT project. We describe the history of the model, its …


Development Of A Placement Exam To Increase Student Success In A Junior Level Circuits And Systems Class, David Parent Oct 2018

Development Of A Placement Exam To Increase Student Success In A Junior Level Circuits And Systems Class, David Parent

Faculty Publications

In this work, which is intended to be a Full Paper in the Innovative Practice Category, the implementation of an improved placement exam that increased the pass rate in a junior level systems course in the author’s electrical engineering department by 15% is presented. For almost 30 years the author’s EE department has used a face to face exam to place students in a junior level circuits and systems course or into a review workshop. The details of the exam and suggestions about future use in conjunction MyOpenMath analytics to increase student success are also given.


Examination The Impact Of Various Factors On Student Success In An Introduction To Circuit Analysis Course, David Parent Oct 2018

Examination The Impact Of Various Factors On Student Success In An Introduction To Circuit Analysis Course, David Parent

Faculty Publications

In this work in progress, several models to predict student success in a sophomore introduction to circuit analysis class were created based on prior grade point average, grade in a pre-requisite physics class, the semester the pre-requisite physics class was taken, the number of units a student was taking, the number of times a student repeated the circuits class, and the number of times a student repeated any class prior to enrollment. While all models were statistically significant, the model that included prior GPA and the grade in a pre-requisite physics was the most significant for the data collection effort. …


Research On University Faculty Members Reasoning About How Departments Change, Gina Quan, Joel Corbo, Courtney Ngai, Daniel Reinholz, Mary Pilgrim Aug 2018

Research On University Faculty Members Reasoning About How Departments Change, Gina Quan, Joel Corbo, Courtney Ngai, Daniel Reinholz, Mary Pilgrim

Faculty Publications

Research on institutional change says that effective change agents are able to flexibly reason with multipleperspectives on change, depending on their local context and their goals. However, little is known about whatthis flexible reasoning looks like. In this exploratory work, we conducted and analyzed interviews in whichfaculty discussed departmental change. This work is part of an ongoing study to understand how to supportdepartmental change through Departmental Action Teams (DATs). Our preliminary analyses suggest that facultyhave multiple context-dependent ways to reason about change. This work will lead to a better understanding ofhow productive lines of reasoning can be leveraged in faculty …


The Validity Of Validity In Debra P.: Judicial And Psychometric Perspectives On Test Consequences, Charles Olney, Brent Duckor Apr 2018

The Validity Of Validity In Debra P.: Judicial And Psychometric Perspectives On Test Consequences, Charles Olney, Brent Duckor

Faculty Publications

We explore the uses and functions of ‘validity’ as a boundary marker between legal theory and psychometrics. Standardized testing regimes rely on experts to articulate the limits of validity. When challenged in courts, these limits become the subject of contestation, requiring practitioners to litigate the validity of validity. This process generates significant discontinuities, resulting from different conceptual relationships to the idea of validity. Through a qualitative textual analysis of specific case law and a quantitative examination of Lexis-Nexis database archives, we trace how legal reasoning elides new developments in psychometric research that would broaden and enrich judicial treatments while showing …


Unpacking Teacher Practice Through A Moves-Based Formative Assessment Framework Using Video-Based Cycles Of Inquiry, Brent Duckor, Carrie Holmberg Apr 2018

Unpacking Teacher Practice Through A Moves-Based Formative Assessment Framework Using Video-Based Cycles Of Inquiry, Brent Duckor, Carrie Holmberg

Faculty Publications

Research has shown for over a decade that teachers who engage in formative assessment (FA) practices may have the most powerful impact on student learning (Black & Wiliam, 1998; Hattie, 2012). Yet less is known about the development of teachers’ knowledge and use of formative assessment as they plan, enact, and reflect on their questioning practices. Our qualitative case study focuses on how in-service middle school math teachers take up three specific moves (Author A, 2014) associated with formative assessment practice as as part of a video-based cycle of inquiry project. The study found focusing participants’ planning and reflection through …


Evaluating And Supporting Teacher Practice Of Formative Assessment: Assessing Posing, Pausing, And Probing Moves, Carrie Holmberg, Brent Duckor Apr 2018

Evaluating And Supporting Teacher Practice Of Formative Assessment: Assessing Posing, Pausing, And Probing Moves, Carrie Holmberg, Brent Duckor

Faculty Publications

Decades of research supports that teacher engagement in formative assessment (FA) can powerfully impact student learning outcomes (Black & Wiliam, 1998; Hattie, 2009, 2012). Yet less is known about teacher development of FA skills on a continuum of practice. This empirical study designed, piloted, and examined test content validity of a performance-based assessment of teachers’ FA practice related to questioning “moves” in the context of six multilingual high needs middle school mathematics classrooms. Qualitative comparative analysis of triangulated evidence of teachers’ planning for, enacting, and reflecting on posing, pausing, and probing “moves” found differences among teachers’ probing in particular, related …


Impact Of First-Year Initiatives On Retention Of Students: Are There Differences In Retention Of Students By Ethnicity And Gender?, Patricia Backer, Joseph Green, Bryan Matlen, Cindy Kato Apr 2018

Impact Of First-Year Initiatives On Retention Of Students: Are There Differences In Retention Of Students By Ethnicity And Gender?, Patricia Backer, Joseph Green, Bryan Matlen, Cindy Kato

Faculty Publications

Project Succeed is a campus-wide initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Its focus is to improve the 5-year graduation and retention rates and close the achievement gap for Under-Represented Minorities (URMs) across all majors at San José State University (SJSU). In addition, SJSU has a high percent of first generation students. We have several thrusts under this project: block scheduling, Faculty/Staff Mentor program, expanding Peer Educators, developing a First Year Experience Program, and developing more student living learning communities. This project is in its fourth year and we have analyzed each project effort with respect to its impact …


Does The Test Work? Evaluating A Web-Based Language Placement Test, Avizia Long, Sun-Young Shin, Kimberly Geeslin, Erik Willis Feb 2018

Does The Test Work? Evaluating A Web-Based Language Placement Test, Avizia Long, Sun-Young Shin, Kimberly Geeslin, Erik Willis

Faculty Publications

In response to the need for examples of test validation from which everyday language programs can benefit, this paper reports on a study that used Bachman’s (2005) assessment use argument (AUA) framework to examine evidence to support claims made about the intended interpretations and uses of scores based on a new web-based Spanish language placement test. The test, which consisted of 100 items distributed across five item types (sound discrimination, grammar, listening comprehension, reading comprehension, and vocabulary), was tested with 2,201 incoming first-year and transfer students at a large, Midwestern public university. Analyses of internal consistency and validity revealed the …


Approach To Developing Basic And Scientific Writing Competency In Dnp Students At Samuel Merritt University, Michelle Hampton Jan 2018

Approach To Developing Basic And Scientific Writing Competency In Dnp Students At Samuel Merritt University, Michelle Hampton

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.


From The Ground Up: Providing Support To Emergent Bilinguals To Distinguish Language Difference From Disability, Andrea Golloher, David Whitenack, Lisa Simpson, Donna Sacco Jan 2018

From The Ground Up: Providing Support To Emergent Bilinguals To Distinguish Language Difference From Disability, Andrea Golloher, David Whitenack, Lisa Simpson, Donna Sacco

Faculty Publications

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data reveal that students with disabilities who are emergent bilinguals (English language learners) have the lowest levels of profficiency in reading and mathematics among all student groups. We consider issues related to the instruction of emergent bilinguals, including those identified as having specific learning disabilities, using a Response to Intervention (RTI)/Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) model. In so doing, we argue that instructional practices consistent with a robust Tier 1 framework are beneficial to emergent bilinguals with and without learning disabilities while differentiating Tier 2 and 3 interventions may improve outcomes for emergent bilingual …


Effect Of Cohorts On Student Retention In Engineering, Patricia Backer, Cindy Kato Jun 2017

Effect Of Cohorts On Student Retention In Engineering, Patricia Backer, Cindy Kato

Faculty Publications

Project Succeed is a campus-wide initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Its focus is to improve the 5-year graduation and retention rates and close the achievement gap for Under-Represented Minorities (URMs) across all majors at San José State University (SJSU). There are three major goals: strengthen SJSU’s core academic performance in retention and graduation; provide an improved supportive environment for URM students; and enhance the delivery and integration of academic and co-curricular support services. For Fall 2015, newly matriculated students in the College of Business, College of Engineering, and Child and Adolescent Development Department (CHAD) were assigned schedules …


Educational Trajectories Of Latino English Language Learner Students In Dual-Language Programs, Kathryn Lindholm-Leary Apr 2017

Educational Trajectories Of Latino English Language Learner Students In Dual-Language Programs, Kathryn Lindholm-Leary

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this research is to examine the language proficiency and reading achievement trajectories of 2201 fourth- through eighth-grade students who differed by English language proficiency and were enrolled in a dual language program. Results showed that: 1) students achieved average in Spanish reading achievement and at similar levels in English as their English mainstream ELL peers; 2) students in the four English language proficiency groups varied significantly in all outcome measures in English and Spanish (FEP>Advanced>Intermediate>Beginner) by upper, but not K/1 entry, grades; and 3) examining students’ trajectories shows the importance of Bilingual, not just …


Connecting Self-Efficacy And Views About Nature Of Science In Undergraduate Research Experiences, Gina Quan, Andrew Elby Nov 2016

Connecting Self-Efficacy And Views About Nature Of Science In Undergraduate Research Experiences, Gina Quan, Andrew Elby

Faculty Publications

Undergraduate research can support students’ more central participation in physics. We analyze markers of two coupled shifts in participation: changes in students’ views about the nature of science coupled to shifts in self-efficacy toward physics research. Students in the study worked with faculty and graduate student mentors on research projects while also participating in a seminar where they learned about research and reflected on their experiences. In classroom discussions and in clinical interviews, students described gaining more nuanced views about the nature of science, specifically related to who can participate in research and what participation in research looks like. This …


Attending To Scientific Practices Within Undergraduate Research Experiences, Gina Quan, Chandra Turpen, Andrew Elby Jul 2016

Attending To Scientific Practices Within Undergraduate Research Experiences, Gina Quan, Chandra Turpen, Andrew Elby

Faculty Publications

Ford (2015) argues for viewing “scientific practice” not as a list of particular skills, but rather, more holistically as “sets of regularities of behaviors and social interactions” among scientists. This conceptualization of scientific practices foregrounds how they meaningfully connect to one another and are purposefully employed in order to explain nature. We apply this framework in the context of undergraduate research experiences (UREs) to understand the early forms of student engagement in scientific practices, and how these specific forms of engagement may be consequential for students’ future participation. Using video from interviews with students and research mentors, we argue that …


Assessment Of A Writing Workshop Model For First-Year Engineering Students, Patricia Backer Jun 2016

Assessment Of A Writing Workshop Model For First-Year Engineering Students, Patricia Backer

Faculty Publications

This paper will report on a multi-year project to improve the writing skills of engineering freshmen at XXX University. For the last ten years, the college has offered an optional class to students who are not proficient in writing. Students can enroll in a one-unit lab class as many semesters as they wish to get practice in writing. The goal is to provide students with weekly writing activities that include: instruction in basic grammar, proofreading, and editing. In addition to study and practice exercises, students in this writing workshop have writing assignments, which provide practice in using correct grammar, spelling, …


Binning For Equity And Access: Formative Assessment–Focused Teacher Professional Development For Middle School Mathematics Classrooms, Brent Duckor, Carrie Holmberg, Joanne Becker Apr 2016

Binning For Equity And Access: Formative Assessment–Focused Teacher Professional Development For Middle School Mathematics Classrooms, Brent Duckor, Carrie Holmberg, Joanne Becker

Faculty Publications

While research has shown for over a decade that teachers who engage in formative assessment (FA) practices may have the most powerful impact on student learning (Black & Wiliam, 1998; Hattie, 2012) less is known about the development of teachers’ knowledge and use of formative assessment as they plan, enact, and reflect on their practice. Our qualitative case study focuses on how in-service middle school math teachers take up the specific moves (Author, 2014a) associated with formative assessment practice as they plan, enact, and reflect on their practices as part of a FA-focused professional development cycle of inquiry. The study …


Global Technology Experiences For Upper-Division Engineering Students: An Assessment, Patricia Backer, Wenchiang Chung Jun 2015

Global Technology Experiences For Upper-Division Engineering Students: An Assessment, Patricia Backer, Wenchiang Chung

Faculty Publications

In order for students to thrive in the highly competitive global economy, it is critical for them to develop international perspectives and appreciation. As a result, in 2004, the San Jose State University’s Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering established a one-million-dollar Global Technology Initiative (GTI) program. The mission of the GTI program is to expand students’ horizons about the opportunities and challenges of a global economy, to expose them to global, environmental, and energy problems in which technology plays a central role, to motivate their learning of global issues and different cultures, and to introduce them to a more …


Large Research Center Education And Outreach: Lessons From 5 Years Of Distributed Collaborative Design, Development And Implementation, Sean Brophy, Thalia Anagnos Jun 2014

Large Research Center Education And Outreach: Lessons From 5 Years Of Distributed Collaborative Design, Development And Implementation, Sean Brophy, Thalia Anagnos

Faculty Publications

Paper from the 121st ASEE Annual Conference, Indianapolis. The George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Summation (NEES) completes its tenth year of operation in September 2014. The NEES Center consists of a network of 14 large-scale experimental laboratories that collaborate and share resources in support of research to inform civil engineering practice and reduce losses from future earthquakes. Since the development of the center in 2003, the education, outreach and training (EOT) program has grown from a federation of local outreach activities to an integrated network of “specialists” working together to obtain significant impact towards defined education goals. …


“Without Hermeneutics I’M Stuck In My Own Thinking”: Preservice Teachers Adopt A Hermeneutical Stance Toward Action Research, Colette Rabin, Grinell Smith Apr 2014

“Without Hermeneutics I’M Stuck In My Own Thinking”: Preservice Teachers Adopt A Hermeneutical Stance Toward Action Research, Colette Rabin, Grinell Smith

Faculty Publications

Pre-service teachers need to question their taken-for-granted beliefs and biases about their students. Hermeneutics is a philosophical perspective that uncovers the subjectivity of our perceptions and can help students understand the necessity of questioning biases. This study explored what happened when pre-service teachers undertook an action research project with their students and analyzed qualitative data with a hermeneutical stance. Data consisted of audio-recorded class dialogues about readings on hermeneutics, interviews, student papers, and pre and post surveys. The data revealed that hermeneutics helped pre-service teachers: become aware of their biases; question their initial interpretations; and assume a self-reflective stance toward …


Understanding Ells At Different English Proficiency Levels In Dual Language Programs, Kathryn Lindholm-Leary Apr 2013

Understanding Ells At Different English Proficiency Levels In Dual Language Programs, Kathryn Lindholm-Leary

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this research is to examine the language proficiency and reading achievement of a diverse group of 1045 grade 4-8 ELL students enrolled in a dual language program. These students differed in background factors (parent education, SES), dual language program model (90:10, 50:50), and English language proficiency level (Begin/Early Intermediate, Intermediate, Advanced, reclassified Fluent English Proficient). Results show that there are significant effects due to language proficiency group, parent education, SES, and program model on student outcomes - English language proficiency, Spanish reading, and English reading achievement at program entry, grade 3 and current grade. Results are discussed …


Validating The Internal Structure Of The Performance Assessment Of California Teachers (Pact): A Multi-Dimensional Item Response Model Study, Brent Duckor, Katherine Castellano, Kip Tellez, Mark Wilson Apr 2013

Validating The Internal Structure Of The Performance Assessment Of California Teachers (Pact): A Multi-Dimensional Item Response Model Study, Brent Duckor, Katherine Castellano, Kip Tellez, Mark Wilson

Faculty Publications

Examining a large sample of teacher candidate responses (n=1711), we found a sufficient degree of internal structure validity evidence to support the intended, continued use of the Performance Assessment for California Teachers (2008) instrument to measure teacher candidates’ skills and proficiencies with professional standards in teaching (CCTC, 2012). Our examination of the Elementary Literacy Teaching Event found that the unidimensional IRT model fits the data very well and results in high reliability (.914), which is reassuring given the dependence on raters, the varied nature of the portfolio submissions and types of tasks, and the differences in California teacher preparation programs …


Global Technology Initiative At San Jose State University: Results Of Seven Years Of An International Experience For Students, Belle Wei, Patricia Backer, Wenchiang Chung, Andrew Wood Jun 2012

Global Technology Initiative At San Jose State University: Results Of Seven Years Of An International Experience For Students, Belle Wei, Patricia Backer, Wenchiang Chung, Andrew Wood

Faculty Publications

For XXX students to thrive in the highly competitive global economy, it is critical to develop international perspectives and knowledge. The $1 million Global Technology Initiative (GTI), established in 2004, provides SJSU students with an opportunity to gain a global perspective of the world by learning about technology and business developments in the Asia Pacific region. GTI donors are high-tech business leaders with strong business ties in Silicon Valley and the Asia Pacific region. Given the current trend of engineering globalization in the global economy, particularly the trend of outsourcing Silicon Valley manufacturing, development, and design work to foreign countries, …


Understanding Resistance To Standardization In Education: The Tragedy Of The Commons As A Theoretical Framework, Grinell Smith, Colette Rabin Apr 2012

Understanding Resistance To Standardization In Education: The Tragedy Of The Commons As A Theoretical Framework, Grinell Smith, Colette Rabin

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this paper is to articulate how a theory, developed in 1968 by Garrett Hardin to describe how shared resources, or “commons” can become depleted, also elucidates the mechanism by which standardization of educational outcomes and assessment have come to dominate current education discourse. We then present results of a case study of a school struggling to succeed within a context of a district’s hyper-focus on standardized measures of success, and employ the theory to illustrate its usefulness to explain what we found at the school site. We believe this theoretical framework provides interesting perspectives on current trends …


Assessment Of First Year Experiences At Sjsu, Patricia Backer, Emily Allen, Janet Sundrud Jun 2011

Assessment Of First Year Experiences At Sjsu, Patricia Backer, Emily Allen, Janet Sundrud

Faculty Publications

With nearly 5,000 students, the Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering (CoE) at San José State University (SJSU) is the largest provider of engineers to Silicon Valley companies and is ranked 12th among engineering programs for master’s-level institutions in the 2009 U.S. News &World Report's listing of "America’s Best Colleges. “Our overarching theoretical model for student retention is based on Tinto’s model. We adapted this model, based on additional research, to address the needs of students at SJSU. According to this model, effective and positive interactions in college should increase the student’s commitment and effort in college, and thereby, increase …


The New Rules Of For Measuring Teacher Quality: Lessons Learned From The Assessment Experts, Brent M. Duckor Apr 2010

The New Rules Of For Measuring Teacher Quality: Lessons Learned From The Assessment Experts, Brent M. Duckor

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.


Measuring Measuring: Toward A Theory Of Proficiency With The Constructing Measures Framework, Brent M. Duckor, K Draney, M Wilson Jan 2009

Measuring Measuring: Toward A Theory Of Proficiency With The Constructing Measures Framework, Brent M. Duckor, K Draney, M Wilson

Faculty Publications

This paper is relevant to measurement educators who are interested in the variability of understanding and use of the four building blocks in the Constructing Measures framework (Wilson, 2005). It proposes a uni-dimensional structure for understanding Wilson’s framework, and explores the evidence for and against this conceptualization. Constructed and fixed choice response items are utilized to collect responses from 72 participants who range in experience and expertise with constructing measures. The data was scored by two raters and was analyzed with the Rasch partial credit model using ConQuest (1998). Guided by the 1999 Testing Standards, analyses of validity and reliability …


Preparing An Assessment Plan At San Jose State University, Michael Jennings, Thalia Anagnos Jun 1998

Preparing An Assessment Plan At San Jose State University, Michael Jennings, Thalia Anagnos

Faculty Publications

The College of Engineering at San Jose State University is scheduled for an accreditation visit in Fall 1999 and has decided to seek reaccreditation under the ABET 2000 criteria. An assessment implementation project has been active for the past two years within the College; with primary objectives of refining missions for programs, defining program outcome objectives, determining which components to assess, and developing appropriate metrics and methods. Longer term objectives of this project are to establish a continuous quality improvement philosophy in the College and to provide information for the ABET accreditation review.This paper is an evaluation of the status …


California Teacher Development Project; Fremont Esea Title 3, Dissemination Grant Period. Evaluation Report 1972-73., Warren Kallenbach Jan 1973

California Teacher Development Project; Fremont Esea Title 3, Dissemination Grant Period. Evaluation Report 1972-73., Warren Kallenbach

Faculty Publications

The evaluation of the California Teacher Development Project for the 1972-73 project year reports data for four performance criteria. These criteria relate to the expected behavioral changes of teachers involved in an inservice workshop program in individualizing instruction. One criterion relates to teacher knowledge of individualized instruction (cognitive behavior); three criteria relate to teacher attitude toward individualized instruction. To determine the effectiveness of the 1972-73 inservice program, a comparison group was formed using data from participants in the 1971-72 program. Instruments used to measure the effectiveness of the workshop program were: (a) the Fremont Test of Individualized Instruction, (b) the …


The Effects Of An Individualized Instruction Workshop And Its Related Follow-Up Program On The Attitudes And Behavior Of Selected Elementary Teachers And Their Students: Final Report, Helen Dell, Warren Kallenbach Nov 1972

The Effects Of An Individualized Instruction Workshop And Its Related Follow-Up Program On The Attitudes And Behavior Of Selected Elementary Teachers And Their Students: Final Report, Helen Dell, Warren Kallenbach

Faculty Publications

The effects of an individualized instruction workshop and its related follow-up program on the attitudes and behavior of selected elementary teachers and their students were discussed in this report. Participants were teachers in a four-day workshop on individualizing instruction. The workshop included training in classroom procedures, managing physical facilities, utilizing human resources, and developing techniques for encouraging students to be self-managing. Evaluation methods, questionnaires and observation indicated a favorable change in teacher behavior. The effects of the inservice program for teachers indicated little or no affect on student attitude and independent work habits. (Appendixes of related program material and a …