(2013). Quilt-Making in the Elementary Class. NAMTA Journal, v38 n2 p121-124 Spr. As our world becomes more and more technological, it is essential that we remember that one of the main ways the child's brain develops is through meaningful work of the hand. Monica Nixon, the founder and director of Mountain Laurel Montessori School in Front Royal, VA, as well as a quilter and knitter, describes her experience of teaching her class of six- through twelve-year-old students how to quilt and what has become a ritual quilt-making event that begins in early November and finishes before winter break in mid-December. During the quilt-making process, the students share personal stories through natural conversations with both their teacher and fellow students. The more experienced students help younger students, and the students enjoy sharing their quilts with the recipient of their choice. Students have remarked that they are more focused throughout the quilt-making process than they have ever been. The sewing process seems to be especially helpful to students who have… [PDF]
(2013). Guided Assessment or Open Discourse: A Comparative Analysis of Students Interaction on Facebook Groups. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, v14 n1 p35-43 Jan. Web 2.0 and specifically Social Networking Software have become ubiquitous tools for communication over the last five years. Across many disciplines, practitioners and researchers have been exploring these technologies with the hope of tapping into their perceived potential. Not least in this endeavor is the field of Education. Educators and Researchers have been engaged in active research on the practical and pedagogical benefits and implications of Web 2.0 and Social Networks. This paper explores the use of Facebook Groups in the Undergraduate Computer Science Program at the University of Guyana. Specifically, Guided Assessment strategies using Facebook Groups are compared with unguided and non-assessed Facebook Groups. Specifically, this study provides a comparative outline of the usage patterns of two (2) Instructor-Guided and Assessed Facebook Groups with three (3) student-led, nonassessed Facebook Groups that supported a form of Open Discourse. Results suggest that planned and… [PDF]
(2013). The Role of Interactions between Student and Classroom Context in Developing Adaptive Self-Efficacy in One Sixth-Grade Mathematics Classroom. School Science and Mathematics, v113 n5 p248-258 May. Research and theory suggest several instructional practices that could enhance student self-efficacy. However, little is known about the ways these instructional practices interact with individual students to create opportunities or challenges for developing adaptive self-efficacy. In this study, we focused on two sources of efficacy, mastery experiences, and social persuasion, and examined how these sources were structured for three students with different levels of mathematics achievement and self-efficacy within a sixth-grade mathematics classroom. Analyses within each case showed that each student experienced success and received social persuasion differently. On the other hand, analyses across the cases suggest that not only the amount but also the form (i.e., with and without assistance) of successful experiences and the type of performances (e.g., stating definitions, explaining solution procedures, sharing problem-solving strategies, and making comments on others' ideas)… [Direct]
(2010). Emergence of Epistemic Agency in College Level Educational Technology Course for Pre-Service Teachers Engaged in CSCL. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology – TOJET, v9 n3 p38-51 Jul. Written interaction between pre-service teachers engaged in progressive inquiry using Knowledge Forum in two intense summer courses were analyzed to detect and rank those students in terms knowledge sharing, pressing on for further inquiry and the number of partners they communicated with. Social network analysis techniques were employed to cluster students in terms of their network centrality using a Freeman's betweenness value, where higher values indicated more communication flow occurred through that person. An aggregate score is calculated for each student and they were ranked into four levels of epistemic agency ranging from exceptional to low. Nearly half of the students in both courses ranked in the lowest level of epistemic agency interpreted as following mostly their own epistemic goals with minimal knowledge sharing with few partners and mediating little of knowledge sharing and collective inquiry. There were two to three students in each course with outstanding score in… [PDF]
(2011). A Sociocultural Reading of Reform in Science Teaching in a Secondary Biology Class. Cultural Studies of Science Education, v6 n3 p635-661 Sep. Adopting activity theory as a theoretical and methodological framework, this case study illustrates how a teaching and learning situation is planned and implemented over a series of nine 75-min biology classes by a high school science teacher in the context of pedagogical reform. The object of this study emerges within a favourable context of science education curricular reform in Quebec, Canada. By examining the interaction between the poles of an activity system sharing the same object, this case study illustrates how one teacher's teaching practice is redefined and how some aspects of her teaching personality orient the ways in which she contextually mobilizes new tools and members of her school community in order to implement an awareness campaign on the risks of tanning salons…. [Direct]
(2018). Scientific Knowledge Building: A Curriculum Module to Scaffold Student Learning about the Nature of Science. ProQuest LLC, D.Ed. Dissertation, University of Delaware. The purpose of this Executive Position Paper project was to develop educational resources to support the teaching of nature of science topics to undergraduate students at Delaware Technical Community College. The investigation was driven by two exploratory projects and a review of the literature. The first exploratory project examined the presentation of the nature of science in a sampling of undergraduate entry level science textbooks across a variety of science disciplines. This study found a wide range of coverage given to nature of science topics, and that overall, the deductive method of scientific reasoning was represented more often and, in more detail, than inductive methods of primary scientific investigation. Further, there was very little description in the sampled textbooks about how science builds bigger explanatory ideas in science. The second exploratory study was an analysis of the scientific reasoning used in empirical research studies published in the journal,… [Direct]
(2015). OER as Online Edutainment Resources: A Critical Look at Open Content, Branded Content, and How Both Affect the OER Movement. Learning, Media and Technology, v40 n3 p350-364. Despite a rise in awareness and production of open education resources (OER) over the past decade, mainstream media outlets continue to define open in economic terms of consumer cost and not in theoretical terms of remix or appropriation. This period in the "open access" debate has coincided with a proliferation of free-of-charge video content available on the internet, branded with institutional affiliation and labeled as educational or edutainment resources. Videos from organizations such as "TED", "Curiosity.com" and "Upworthy" have gained scholastic use and are being labeled as OER, despite a missive from their organizations to limit consumer use of the videos to viewing and sharing. Viewed instrumentally, the lack of remix utility for this edutainment creates only a slight distinction between their product and OER-as-defined. However, when viewed from a critical theory lens, the content-as-brand video edutainment phenomenon is strikingly… [Direct]
(2015). Skills for the Creative Industries: Report of the UNESCO-UNEVOC Virtual Conference, 29 September to 10 October 2014. UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training This virtual conference was the tenth in a series of moderated discussions on the UNEVOC e-Forum–a global online community of over 4000 members. Guided by an expert in the field, these discussions provide a platform for sharing of experiences, expertise and feedback and wish to inspire people to take further action. Between 29 September and 10 October 2014, UNEVOC hosted an on line forum on creativity and the creative industries. The forum set out to explore the following questions: (1) What are creative industries and what are the needs for skills?; (2) How can we turn the expansion of creative economies into an advantage for TVET and, in turn, what can TVET and skills development do to support the growth of the creative sector?; (3) What is the role of creativity in TVET?; (4) What are the different vocational pathways to creative jobs?; and (5) What do we know about the creative industries and what do we still need to learn? The forum was facilitated by Paul Collard, the Chief… [PDF]
(2014). Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities 2014 Annual Report: The Champions of Hispanic Success in Higher Education. Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities For over a quarter of a century, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) has advocated on behalf of Hispanic higher education in the U.S. and around the world. The mission of the association is to Champion Hispanic Success in Higher Education. HACU fulfills its mission by: promoting the development of member colleges and universities; improving access to and the quality of postsecondary educational opportunities for Hispanic students; and meeting the needs of business, industry and government through the development and sharing of resources, information and expertise. HACU is the only organization that represents existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), which enroll more than 50 percent of all Hispanics in postsecondary education. HACU serves its membership through advocacy, conferences, partnerships and educational programs, and offers scholarships and internship opportunities for students. HACU, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) association representing… [PDF]
(2015). Proceedings of the 2015 ASCUE Summer Conference (48th, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, June 14-18, 2015). Association Supporting Computer Users in Education The Association Supporting Computer Users in Education (ASCUE) is a group of people interested in small college computing issues. It is a blend of people from all over the country who use computers in their teaching, academic support, and administrative support functions. ASCUE has a strong tradition of bringing its members together to pool their resources to help each other, and continues the tradition of sharing through its national conference held every year in June, its conference proceedings, and its newsletter. ASCUE proudly affirms this tradition in its motto: "Our Second Quarter Century of Resource Sharing". The proceedings are divided into three sections: (1) The first section contains the refereed papers. (2) The second section holds papers from the sessions with paper. (3) The last section holds only the abstracts for the other sessions. The following are included in the 2015 proceedings: (1) Creating Games to Get Students! (Dewey Swanson, Dmitri A. Gusev); (2)… [PDF]
(2013). Preparing the Next Generations of Technology Project Managers to Lead through Knowledge Sharing: A Case Study at a Large Transportation Company. ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Capella University. The purpose of this research was to identify knowledge transfer gaps and current practices, prepare current project managers to accept the challenges associated with leadership opportunities that are coming available due to retirements through cross training efforts and succession planning, and to identify the proper management of knowledge sharing with project managers in technology. Developing well-rounded project managers, with an array of experiences throughout the organization and who will be prepared to take on leadership roles was the expected outcome of this study. Using a research questionnaire developed by the researcher, face to face interviews were conducted with twelve project managers and six technical directors in technology to determine what steps have been taken to prepare for knowledge transfer and succession planning with a large retirement eligible population over the next five years. Results of data analysis suggest that providing opportunities for project… [Direct]
(2015). Using Collaborative Technology to Enhance Pre-Service Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Science. Research in Science & Technological Education, v33 n1 p61-87. Background: Supporting pre-service teacher (PT) collaboration as a means of professional learning is a challenging but essential task for effective practice. However, teacher placements or practicums in schools, which is common practice within teacher education programmes, can often isolate PTs from sharing their experiences with each other. Further, the articulation of effective pedagogical practices by high-quality teachers is limited, restricting PTs' ability to access such professional knowledge. Purpose: This study investigates how the introduction of a collaborative technology, a wiki, may enhance existing and new opportunities for pre-service teachers' (PTs) to develop pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Sample: Seven PT chemistry teachers of varied backgrounds participated in this study. Design and Method: The PTs were learning to collaboratively formulate and document their early topic-specific teaching knowledge using a pedagogical tool known as Content Representation… [Direct]
(2015). Care Coordination Practices among Illinois Pediatricians and Early Intervention Service Coordinators. ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Over the course of the past three decades, largely due to advances in technology, there has been growth in the fields of early intervention (EI) and pediatrics for infants/toddlers with special health care needs (SHCN). This growth has also brought about a change in the relationship between pediatricians and EI service coordinators, creating an increased need for communication and collaboration between these groups of professionals. In order to address these changes, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) presented recommendations for care coordination and stressed the placement of care coordination practices in the medical and developmental plans of infants/toddlers with SHCN. There have also been recommendations about communication and collaboration strategies from experts in the EI field. The medical home framework and Part C (EI) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) seek to establish care coordination systems with a family-centered focus of care. The… [Direct]
(2012). Supporting Education Policy and Practice through Common Data Standards: A Policymaker's Guide. Data Quality Campaign Consider the high-priority challenges facing education stakeholders today, such as measuring teacher effectiveness, implementing the Common Core State Standards, aligning K-12 and postsecondary education efforts with workforce demands, efficiently allocating resources, and ensuring that students stay on track to success. These efforts all rely on the efficient collection, management, and use of education data–and stakeholder confidence in those data, particularly if they will be used for high-stakes personnel, accountability, or other decisions. Over the last decade, state, federal, and private investments of political will and resources have contributed to significant progress in building robust statewide longitudinal data systems. Attention is now shifting–as it should be–to the work of ensuring that data are used by stakeholders to answer critical questions and inform decisionmaking from the kitchen table to the classroom to the state capitol. In the absence of common data… [PDF]
(2014). Making a MEAL out of a Global Professional Learning Community: A Transformative Approach to Global Education. International Journal of Development Education and Global Learning, v6 n3 p31-48. The implementation of global education in schools has, despite the plethora of different terms used to describe it, been defined by an approach that ensures global issues are embedded (1) in the curriculum (a subject-specific approach), (2) across all subject areas (an interdisciplinary approach), and (3) in the school's ethos (a "whole-school approach"). The means by which each of these three approaches has been implemented, however, have been far less cohesive. This paper will argue that one potential tool is extending the Professional Learning Community (PLC) model to focus on the global (i.e. creating a Global Professional Learning Community [GPLC], also known as a Networked Learning Community). We suggest that this form of collaborative working is a vital tool in creating effective policy and shared practice for global learning. Moreover, its methods incorporate the key values of the global learning ethos: participation, inclusion, and critical and creative thinking…. [PDF]