Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Nefdc Exchange, Volume 16, Number 1, Spring 2005, New England Faculty Development Consortium

New England Faculty Development Consortium Exchange

Contents

From the NEFDC President: The Heart of the Matter - Thomas S. Edwards, Thomas College

Transforming Your Good Idea into a Compelling Conference Proposal - Judith E. Miller, Clark University

Learning the Infield Fly Rule: Limits of the “Silver Platter” Method - Rob Schadt, Boston University School of Public Health

Discovering New Ways to Teach: Our Experience in an Instructional Skills Workshop Facilitators Training Program - Patricia Cook and James M. Gentile, Manchester Community College

The Bad and the Good About Improving Student Retention in Online Learning - Elaine Garofoli

Connecting with others

Learning Disabilities in Higher Education: An …

Meaningful Learning: Reconciling The Tensions Between Constructivist And Environmentally Sustainable Pedagogy, Nancy Van Kannel-Ray

Dissertations

Critics of constructivism argue, in many ways correctly, that this approach to education is culturally and environmentally damaging because constructivism may not develop an understanding of the interdependence between the human community and the world in which people live. Advocates for environmentally sustainable pedagogy argue the importance of understanding patterns of thinking that allow communities to live sustainably. The purpose of this study is to resolve the tensions between the two pedagogical frameworks: constructivism and environmental sustainability.

The tensions are resolved in two ways. First, there are forms of constructivism that align in viable ways with the criteria critics argue …

Learning Styles: A Focus Upon E-Learning Practices And Pedagogy And Their Implications For Designing E-Learning For Secondary School Students In Newfoundland And Labrador, Morris Cooze, Michael K. Barbour

Education Faculty Publications

With the increase of online learning in the K-12 environment, research must turn to specific studies focused upon this level. One area of investigation surrounds the development of online course content and individualised student learning styles. This review found that although there is a vast body of research concerning online learning in the post-secondary environment, this is not true for K-12 education. Recent studies have begun the discussion for secondary school students as online learning becomes more prevalent and accepted as a means of learning. The lessons that these studies bring forward may be of particular interest to instructional designers …

Adult Student Motivators At A University Satellite Campus, Janet Cosman-Ross, Diana Hiatt-Michael

Publications

The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine what factors motivated the adult learners at a Southern California university complex. Using surveys and interviews, the study also provided insight into the expectations of the students in relation to their careers and personal growth. In addition, analysis of the data uncovered information on how employer reimbursement of education costs affected the students’ motivation, who influenced the students to attend school, and why the students chose this university over others in the area.

The Role Of Inferential Accuracy In Performance Rating Accuracy: A Field Study Of Teacher Performance Appraisal, Cynthia L. Cooper

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Management

This study first assessed the accuracy of performance appraisal ratings of high school teachers in comparison to the achievement of their students as measured by Virginia's Standard of Learning (SOL) tests. The overall performance rating scores of 145 teachers were compared to the pass rates of their students on SOL end-of-course tests. The rating sub-scores in each of four domains of performance were also compared to the SOL pass rates.

The study then tested the influence of Inferential Accuracy, a model proposed by Jackson (1972), on rating accuracy overall and of individual raters in the study. Inferential Accuracy is comprised …

Raising And Leveling The Bar: Standards, Access, And The Ymca Evening Law Schools, 1890-1940, Dorothy E. Finnegan

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

University Assessment Grant Fellows 2004-05 - Public Presentation Agenda, Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Assessment Grants

This is the program of public presentations by the University Assessment Grant Fellows of 2004-05.

Mis Startup For The Sociology Departmental Assessment Plan, Susan L. Caulfield

Assessment Grants

No abstract provided.

Assessment System Development, Patrick Benton

Assessment Grants

No abstract provided.

Assessment Of Library Instruction On Undergraduate Learning Outcomes, Maira Bundza, Barbara J. Cockrell

Assessment Grants

No abstract provided.

Assessing Student Learning In The Cecp Training Programs, Kelly Mcdonnell

Assessment Grants

Presentation on assessing student learning in the Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology training programs.

Using Portfolios As Evidence Of Candidate Growth & Program Impact, Cynthia Carver, Paul Vellom, Katharine Cummings

Assessment Grants

Presentation on the use of portfolios for assessment in the Department of Teaching, Learning & Leadership.

Numeracy In The Early Years: Project Good Start, Sue Thomson, Ken Rowe, Catherine Underwood, Ray Peck

School and system improvement

Project Good Start investigated the effectiveness of numeracy programmes for Australian children in the year before school and the first year of schooling. Qualitative and quantitative data was collected from pre-schools, early childhood centres and primary schools, tovinvestigate the practice and learning experiences that best support children’s early numeracy development.

A Multiple Measures Model For Documenting Teacher And Program Effectiveness, Jonelle Pool, Divonna M. Stebick, Judith Brough

Education Faculty Publications

One of the most difficult challenges facing teacher educators is evaluating the knowledge, skills, and attributes necessary for professional growth and responsibility for teaching. Currently two viewpoints for preparing highly qualified teachers seem to be influencing policy. One view represented by Darling-Hammond’s research (1999), suggests that regulation of teacher education, state licensing, professional accountability, and compensation are important factors for strengthening teacher quality. A second view, offered by Chester Finn from research completed by the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation (cited in Berry, Hoke, and Hirsch, 2004), emphasizes less prescriptive paths such as alternative certification practices and aptitude testing to attract …

The Nieer Report: The 2004 State Preschool Yearbook Summary, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

This study was conducted by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), a is a unit of Rutgers University, which supports early childhood education policy by providing objective, nonpartisan, information based on research. The 2004 State Preschool Yearbook is the second report in a NIEER series evaluating state-funded preschool programs. It describes state-funded prekindergarten in the 2002-2003 school year. Tracking these trends is essential, since the role states play in preschool education will increasingly affect how successfully America’s next generation will compete in the knowledge economy. The State Preschool Yearbooks were developed by NIEER to serve as a resource …

Women Leading Systems, Margaret Grogan, C. Cryss Brunner

Education Faculty Articles and Research

"Amid reports of superintendent shortages and concerns about equal opportunity, what place do women superintendents occupy in today’s school districts? Are they sought after or are they struggling to break into a traditionally male-dominated profession? What qualities, if any, do they bring to the office that may make them more desirable as education leaders? Do women even aspire to the superintendency? To gather the most up-to-date, comprehensive information on women and the superintendency, AASA recently commissioned a nationwide study of women in the superintendency and women in central-office positions. Using the AASA membership database and data from Market Data Retrieval, …

Online Vs. Face-To-Face Instruction: Similarities, Differences, And Efficacy, David Barnett, Lola Aagaard

Faculty Research at Morehead State University

Developing leadership skills within graduate students who aspire to be school administrators requires that these students be involved in authentic experiences similar to those faced by today’s school leaders. While conventional graduate training has relied heavily on face-to-face instruction, the proliferation and availability of technology within today’s society has more and more students seeking training in an online setting. Professors make an effort to provide authentic experiences online, but sometimes are unsure of their effectiveness. What are the perceptions of graduate students pursuing leadership certification who are involved in online classes versus face-to-face instruction? Participants in this study indicated that …

A Review Of The Empirical Evidence Identifying Effective Interventions And Teaching Practices For Students With Learning Difficulties In Year 4, 5 And 6, Nola Purdie, Louise Ellis

School and system improvement

The present literature review arises in the context of the Australian Government's policy initiative of working with the States and Territories to ensure that all Australian children achieve acceptable standards of literacy and numeracy. A key Government priority has been to focus on achieving real, sustained improvements in the literacy and numeracy skills of Australian children to better prepare them for their futures. Ensuring all students gain at least a minimum acceptable standard in literacy and numeracy is critical in overcoming educational disadvantage.

Continuity And Growth : Key Considerations In Educational Improvement And Accountability., Geoff N. Masters

Monitoring Learning

The author first discusses traditional styles of curriculum delivery, commenting on the characteristics of 'annual packages', where students are taught and expected to learn curriculum content that is common to those in their current grade. He then comments on various ways in which students are currently organised and taught in attempts to overcome the limitations of grouping by age/grade, and uses examples from research to evaluate the relative effectiveness. He addresses a range of significant issues, including conditions for learning, classroom structures and standards-based reforms, before looking at some of the possibilities for improved practice in future. These include an …

Factors Affecting The Impact Of Professional Development Programs On Teachers' Knowledge, Practice, Student Outcomes & Efficacy, Lawrence Ingvarson, Marion Meiers, Adrian Beavis

Professional learning for teachers and school leaders

This report examines effects of structural and process features of professional development programs on teachers’ knowledge, practice and efficacy. It is based on four recent (2002-2003) studies undertaken through the Australian Government Quality Teacher Programme, designed to enhance teacher quality. The total data set for the survey study includes 3,250 teachers who had participated in eighty individual professional developmental activities within these studies. Teachers were surveyed at least three months after participating in an activity, which provided them with the opportunity to gauge the impact of programs on their practice. To investigate factors affecting impact, a theoretical model was developed …

A Manual For The Small Schol Conversion Of Evergreen High School, Michael T. Sita Iii

Graduate Student Projects

The project examined key elements of success in large high school conversions to smaller learning community complexes. The review of current research found that the mere act of making schools smaller by size of staff and student population is not enough of a structural change to affect student learning and achievement. Six defining characteristics of a small school were identified as key elements to a learning community that can demonstrate success by significantly improved graduation rates, testing scores and college applications and acceptances. The manual describes a developed six step process which addresses all of the elements which lead to …

The Relationship Between Teen Mothers And Academic Achievement, Nichole M. Archer

All Graduate Projects

In recent years there has been a growing public, professional, and scientific concern about the effects of teenage pregnancy on young women and their offspring (Fergusson & Woodward, 2000). This study aims to identify the root causes for this public concern. The aim of this qualitative study was to determine what factors influenced the level of academic achievement teen mothers accomplished. This study examined services teen mothers accessed during their schooling from the community and schools. Family and work experiences were also looked at in this study. The purpose of this study was to examine early warning signs of academic …

Bridgewater State College Factbook, Academic Year 2004-2005, Office Of Institutional Research And Assessment, Bridgewater State College

Factbook

No abstract provided.

A System-Level Comparison Of Cost-Efficiency And Return On Investment Related To Online Course Delivery, Thomas R. Ramage

Dr. Thomas R. Ramage Scholarship

As the number of students enrolling in Internet-based or online instruction grows, so do questions from educational leaders, policymakers, college and university presidents, members of governing boards, and legislators regarding cost (Johnstone, 2001). This situation is not unique to the United States.

Decision-makers considered the primary benefit of online distance education to be that costs could be spread over a large number of students, taking advantage of economy of scale, assuming that large numbers of students would increase revenue and lower cost-per-student and operating expenses. In addition, increased access and quality learning experiences remained important (Inglis, 1999).

Getting Involved: A Typology Of Student Cocurricular Participation At A Christian University, John L. Hoffman

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Faculty And Program Predictors Of Pass Rates Of Graduates Of Nursing Programs In West Virginia On The National Council Licensure Examination For Registered Nurses 1991 To 2000, Lynda F. Skinner Turner

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between mean student program scores on standardized pre-graduation nursing tests, program attendance policies, grading scales, policies on repeating nursing courses, faculty turnover, degree, teaching experience, clinical nursing experience, part-time faculty, national certification, and NCLEX-RN success in West Virginia nursing programs from 1991-2000. A causal comparative and correlational design was used to investigate the relationship between the dependent variable of NCLEX-RN pass rates and the independent variables. The population of this study consisted of 19 undergraduate nursing programs preparing graduates for entry into practice as registered nurses. Data collection tools utilized …

A Comparison Of The Wj-Iii Test Of Cognitive Abilities And The Wais-Iii, Brittany Leigh Metz

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Since the birth of the intelligence test in the early 20th century, these instruments have gone through tremendous alterations. The revision of such instruments creates an obligation of those who utilize these tests to provide empirical evidence that supports concurrent validity with additional cognitive measures. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the Woodcock-Johnson Test of Cognitive Abilities, Third Edition and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Test, Third Edition. Both instruments were administered to 30 college students attending a Midwest university. The previously collected data was analyzed using a Pearson Product Moment Correlation as well as a …

The Correlation Between Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Iii And Woodcock-Johnson Iii Cognitive Abilities And Wj Iii Achievement For College Students: Which Is A Better Predictor Of Reading Achievement?, Carrie M. Adkins

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The present study is intended to examine whether the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale III or Woodcock-Johnson III Cognitive Abilities would better predict reading achievement on the WJ III Achievement in the college student population. Participants included 29 college students attending a university in the Midwest, being evaluated for a learning disability or academic accommodations. Data were analyzed using Pearson r correlation, Fisher z, and t-test for each intelligence test in comparison to achievement subtests. Results from this study indicated that both IQ scores obtained from the WAISIII and the WJ-III COG correlated with reading significantly, but not highly enough to …

A Study Of The Importance And Implementation Of National Pre-Kindergarten Standards For Language And Literacy As Perceived By West Virginia Directors Of Early Childhood Centers, Judaea Hodge

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study examined the difference between levels of importance and implementation for the National Pre-Kindergarten Standards for Language and Literacy (NPKSLL) in four-year-old programs as perceived by West Virginia licensed pre- kindergarten programs directors and the differences based on director’s education level, years of experience, years in present position, program type and size, and the number of four year olds in the program. To examine this relationship, The Early Childhood Language and Literacy Survey (ECELLS) was designed based on the NPKSLL five goals: listening (Goal 1), complex speech (Goal 2), print awareness (Goal 3), story structure (Goal 4) and beginning …

Perspectives On School Leadership : Taking Another Look, Thomas J. Sergiovani

APC Monographs

The author argues that in many respects leadership has failed us. Not that we should be overwhelmed by this. We just need to know, so we can work on it. There are, I believe, three reasons for the failure of leadership. First, we’ve come to view leadership as behaviour, rather than action; as something psychological rather than spiritual; as having to do with persons rather than ideas. Second, in trying to understand what drives leadership, we’ve overemphasised bureaucratic and personal authority, neglecting professional and moral authority. In the first reason we separated the hand of leadership from the head and …