(2011). Majority of States Report Decline in Support for Library Services. Research Brief Number 3. Institute of Museum and Library Services For over a half a century, State Library Administrative Agencies (SLAAs) have played a key role in the development and delivery of library services in the United States. While the organization and responsibilities of these agencies vary from state to state, they have two things in common: state-level planning for library services and administration of federal Library Services and Technology Act funds. These agencies bolster learning opportunities in their states, improve library services with cutting edge technologies and resources, and encourage resource sharing among all types of libraries across the state. Results from the most recent State Library Agency Survey (fiscal year [FY] 2009), which was released in March of 2010, paint a stark picture of the budget and staffing realities faced by these agencies. Overall, budgets were reduced by 2.6 percent and staff cut by 6.7 percent from the previous year. This represents a particularly significant and sudden reduction in staff and… [PDF]
(2009). Volcanoes on the Beach?. Science and Children, v46 n8 p26-30 Apr. How could a rock formed by volcanic activity get to this shoreline, surrounded by sedimentary rocks? That was the question a group of third-grade students asked–and answered–during an inquiry-based summer camp. Over a two week timeframe, the students practiced basic inquiry skills such as observing; measuring; describing and drawing; sharing tasks in a team; and applying physical principles to field observations along the Baltic Sea coast in northern Germany. Through this activity, common rocks in the children's environment obtained new meaning for them, and at the same time, scientific skills of observation and reasoning were strengthened. (Contains 4 figures and 2 online resources.)… [Direct]
(2010). Interdisciplinary Journal Club: Advancing Knowledge Translation in a Rural State. Physical Disabilities: Education and Related Services, v29 n2 p20-37 Fall. Professionals who provide health and related supports and services to children with disabilities in educational programs and community settings must practice in an evidence-based manner to ensure children and families receive the highest quality care. Vermont's Interdisciplinary Journal Club provides a successful approach to supporting professional development of rural professionals through a variety of knowledge translation activities, including: (a) building relationships and communities integral to the sharing and application of current knowledge; (b) overcoming barriers of time, distance and various levels of research skill; and (c) collaboratively identifying topics of interest and discussion that include skilled interpretation of research and experiential knowledge of stakeholders. This article describes the structure, processes and evaluation strategies of the Journal Club. Challenges identified over three years of implementation and related solutions may be helpful for groups… [PDF]
(2010). Movie Magic: A Gateway to Higher Classroom Immediacy. Communication Teacher, v24 n3 p127-130 Jul. For over 30 years, instructional communication scholars have investigated the relationships between instructors' communicative behaviors and students' affective/cognitive learning, as well as student classroom motivation. More specifically, perceived teacher immediacy is positively related to student learning and motivation. Albert Mehrabian first conceptualized immediacy as any communicative behavior that brings people a greater sense of closeness either physically or psychologically. For instructors, one such communicative behavior is the use of personal examples or experiences. This article presents an activity which is aimed at students setting their own goals for the semester based on a concrete example of teacher expectations. In this activity, the instructor begins by showing a favorite movie speech and then critiques it in the form of an informative speech. After the instructor models the speech critique presentation, each student does one. Sharing a personal example of what… [Direct]
(2010). A Few Steps Forward in the Process of Looking Back: Setting Parameters for a Self-Study of Administrative and Program Development Work over 18 Years. Studying Teacher Education, v6 n3 p269-279 Nov. Many self-studies focus on an individual or several teacher educators. Although there have been self-studies undertaken by teacher education administrators, there is relatively little research that focuses specifically on an administrator's program development work in teacher education. This self-study examines one teacher education administrator's program development work over a period of 18 years and in two institutions. Data come from entries from a professional journal kept during those years. A framework consisting of emergent categories and sub-categories was developed for analysis. Initial findings suggest there are both a complexity of roles and multiple roles that are influenced by outside forces. The scale and complexity of undertaking a long-term self-study surfaced in understanding the scope of the work, deciding on a framework for data analysis, allowing time and place for making personal connections and meaning, and sharing the work with others. Next steps are discussed… [Direct]
(2010). Join the Flock!. Learning & Leading with Technology, v37 n8 p12-15 Jun-Jul. A professional learning network (PLN) is a community of individuals around the world who are learning together. They can start out as strangers, people one couldn't pick out in a crowded room. But Twitter, the virtual meeting place where one's PLN comes together, helps these strangers come together to create a community built on communication and collaboration dedicated to making learning and education the best it can be. The first thing to know is that developing a PLN on Twitter takes a commitment–not necessarily a huge one, but it does take some time. It is a bit like starting a new friendship: One cultivates a relationship by chatting over coffee in the faculty room or sharing an anecdote in the hall. It is the kind of commitment that causes one to pause rather than walk on, and that's what it will take to develop and maintain a PLN using Twitter. In this article, the author discusses the steps in building a PLN through Twitter…. [PDF]
(2023). A Comparison of Two Widely Adopted AP Computer Science Curricula in a High Hispanic Student Population. Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness Background/Context: There were over 500,000 open computing jobs across the country in 2018, but only 35% of U.S. high schools offer computer science classes, and only 8-10% of STEM graduates study computer science (Code.org, 2018). In 2021, only 5.1% of all Bachelor's degrees conferred were in Computer and Information Sciences (IPEDS, 2018). STEM is the future, but the present pipeline is insufficient to meet demand. K-12 Computer Science course participation is the leading indicator of what happens in university. The College Board found that students who try AP Computer Science courses in high school are 6 times more likely to study Computer Science in college, and participation is 7 to 10 times higher for minority and female students, respectively (Wyatt, Feng, & Ewing, 2020). Purpose/Objective Research Questions: This study evaluates the impact of an intervention that integrates increased access to Computer Science Principles (CSP) with curriculum and professional development… [Direct]
(2011). Public-Private Interorganizational Sharing of Health Data for Disability Determination. ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, The Claremont Graduate University. Information exchange is a cornerstone in facilitating a strategic advantage in business. However, health information exchange has not shared that same foundation in health care and related secondary uses, especially when the information is used for something other than diagnosis, treatment, or payment. This case study provides an in-depth examination of successful health data sharing for disability determination between three organizations: the US Social Security Administration (SSA), MedVirginia (a Health Information Exchange (HIE)), and the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC). In this case, use of SSA's MEGAHIT application (Medical Evidence Gathering and Analysis through Health Information Technology) and ONC's Nationwide Health Information Network (NwHIN) facilitated the electronic health data sharing from MedVirginia's electronic health records (EHRs). A Blended Value Collaboration Enactment Framework was used to understand the overall value proposition (answering the… [Direct]
(2011). Confusion about Collusion: Working Together and Academic Integrity. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, v36 n7 p831-841. An increasing emphasis on developing students' transferable skills, such as group working and IT, is creating challenges in ensuring the academic integrity of individually assessed coursework. This study investigated the frequency with which students engaged in a range of study behaviours for individual assignments, with a focus on the extent to which they exchanged information or worked in informal study groups. Over 1000 responses were gathered from students at pre- and post-92 universities engaged in either business or psychology degrees. Four behavioural factors emerged from the data: trust, cooperation, use of IT and conscientious practices. Results indicated that students engage in practices relying on trust and cooperation less often than other practices, implying a concern with avoiding issues of academic misconduct. This was supported by focus group discussions where students described their strategies for working together whilst ensuring the quality and integrity of their… [Direct]
(2013). Are 20th-Century Methods of Teaching Applicable in the 21st Century?. British Journal of Educational Technology, v44 n4 p665-667 Jul. The image of students passively absorbing information from an educator who is lecturing from behind a podium does not reflect the current scope and dimension of higher education. There are now tools of technology that can be used to create learning experiences to actively and meaningfully "pull" students into course content. The author started to think about the idea of push-pull whereby in the past, educators (the experts) usually passed the information from them to the students (push). Today, the literature is replete with articles about the need for collaboration, cooperation, communities of learners and engagement with students (pull). Education has garnered the same attention as the arts to "open up" over the years and allow exploration [Direct]
(2013). Women Teachers of Post-Revolutionary Mexico: Feminisation and Everyday Resistance. Paedagogica Historica: International Journal of the History of Education, v49 n1 p56-69. The reflections presented in this article include the process of incorporating women teachers into schools during the post-revolutionary period in Mexico. From one standpoint, women teachers lived in a state of ambiguity throughout this period because they were seen as symbols of national reconstruction following a war that left more than one million people dead. From another standpoint, they were victims of political and gender violence in a country that had not yet been pacified and was experiencing deep divisions between the armed Catholic groups that fought against the government. The process of the feminisation of Mexican teaching is approached through an analysis of the socio-professional conditions of rural teachers around the period of 1924 to 1945. There are a range of sources that were used for this research, including oral and documental. The collection of records of rural teachers from the Archivo Historico de la Secretaria de Educacion Publica are important in terms of a… [Direct]
(2012). Practices and Strategies of Self-Initiated Language Learning in an Online Social Network Discussion Forum: A Descriptive Case Study. ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, The Pennsylvania State University. The proliferation of information and communication technologies and the prevalence of online social networks have facilitated the opportunities for informal learning of foreign languages. However, little educational research has been conducted on how individuals utilize those social networks to take part in self-initiated language learning without guided instruction. The main purpose of this descriptive case study was to understand the strategies, practices, and knowledge that were shared by forum members during the self-directed learning process. I reviewed forum topics that remained actively discussed over a six-month time frame (from the beginning of September, 2011 to the end of February, 2012). Among those active forum topics, only topics with 30% or more popularity were studied. A total of ten forum topics qualified both selection requirements. Only those that exchanged questions and information pertaining to knowledge of language learning were analyzed. By examining a total of… [Direct]
(2012). Creating and Implementing Community Connections. Educational Facility Planner, v46 n2-3 p24-29. Schools have always been recognized as an integral part of the community and the challenge is to ensure this vital component of social infrastructure is delivered in such a manner that long term benefits for local children, families and the broader community are realized. The Western Metropolitan Region in Victoria has experienced rapid residential growth over the last ten years and this growth is projected to continue for the next 20 years. Something different needed to be done to achieve better outcomes for the broader community. An opportunity arose to create and implement better community connections between schools and their local communities through the co-location/integration/sharing of facilities to be provided in these new and emerging growth areas. The turning point came ten years ago when a number of small residential subdivisions were approved, but the planning process had not allowed for a school which was needed to address the population growth. The only site available… [Direct]
(2019). Toward a Social Justice Orientation: Exploring the Development of Teacher-Candidate Cultural Competence. ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, The Claremont Graduate University. The purpose of this mixed methods, instrumental case study was to investigate the impact of the case–a theoretically informed, curriculum and instruction approach–on the development of cultural competence in teacher-candidates. Denboba (1993) noted that the acquisition of cultural competence is an ongoing, developmental process that requires a long-term commitment. According to DiAngelo (2016), the white, female teachers who comprise the vast majority of teacher preparation cohorts often exhibit a segregated socialization to white culture which means they carry implicit biases, prejudices and Eurocentric notions. They also often present as unaware of their own racial ideologies and ethnic identities which allows resistant individuals to justify the minimization of multiculturalism and issues of diversity in the classroom. The approach of the study sought to combat negative emotionality and student resistance (Matias, 2016; Matias & DiAngelo, 2013) to issues of diversity and… [Direct]
(2019). Psychological Applications and Trends 2019. Online Submission This book contains a compilation of papers presented at the International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends (InPACT) 2019, organized by the World Institute for Advanced Research and Science (W.I.A.R.S.). Modern psychology offers a large range of scientific fields where it can be applied. The goal of understanding individuals and groups (mental functions and behavioral standpoints), from this academic and practical scientific discipline, aims ultimately to benefit society. The International Conference seeks to provide some answers and explore the several areas within the Psychology field, new developments in studies and proposals for future scientific projects. The goal is to offer a worldwide connection between psychologists, researchers and lecturers, from a wide range of academic fields, interested in exploring and giving their contribution in psychological issues. We take pride in having been able to connect and bring together academics, scholars, practitioners and… [PDF]