Evidence of System: A Network Model Case-Study of Seventh Grade Science Assessment Practices from Classrooms to the State Test.

With science education in the United States entering a period of greater accountability, this study investigated how student learning in science was assessed by educators within one state, asking what systemic assessment approaches existed and how the information from them was used. Conducted during the 2006-2007 school year, this research developed and piloted a network-model case study design that included teachers, principals, administrators, and the state test development process, as well as several state-level professional associations. The data analyzed included observations, interviews, surveys, and both public and private documents. Some data were secondary. This design produced an empirical depiction of practice with a web of related cases. The network model expands on the hierarchical (nested) models often assumed in the growing literature on how information is used in educational contexts by showing multiple ways in which individuals are related through organizational structures. Seven case study teachers, each employing assessment methods largely unique and invisible to others in their schools, illustrate one set of assessment practices. The only alternative to classroom assessments that could be documented was the annual state accountability test. These two assessment species were neither tightly coupled nor distinct. Some teachers were partners in developing state test instruments, and in some cases the annual test could be seen as a school management resource. Boundary practices -- activities where these two systems connected -- were opportunities to identify challenges to policy implementation in science education. The challenges include standards, cognition, vocabulary, and classroom equipment. The boundary practices, along with the web of connections, provide the outlines of potential (and often unrealized) synergistic relationships. This model shows diverse indigenous practices and adaptations by actors responding to pressures of change and persistent historical tensions of diversity and control. It provided evidence of a broadening instructional agenda and rapid deployment of information infrastructures for collection, dissemination, and analysis of student information. The model became a lens to view these changes and paths that policy for science education may take for implementation. It also became a lens to evaluate accountability policies to see how models embedded within policies may fit with current practice.Ph.D.EducationUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/60826/1/ppiety_1.pd

Joint undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in general practice: a case study of the continuum of medical education in practice

Background: Despite a large body of literature on teaching in general practice, the majority of this focuses on a single learner level. The Australian literature frequently refers to the concept of Vertical Integration (Dick et al., 2007), while UK policy refers to “a continuum approach”, yet no formal definition of the latter exists. Purpose: This is an exploratory study of the reality of the continuum of medical education as it occurs in the context of general practice (family medicine) in the West of Scotland. Through a better understanding of the reality, this study aimed to contextualise the rhetoric through the following research questions: 1. How does Activity Theory enable us to understand the activity of teaching in GP practices with multilevel learners? 2. What are the tensions experienced by GPs in multilevel learner practices in relation to their teaching? 3. How have these tensions shaped the activity of teaching in multilevel learner GP practices? 4. How does Activity Theory enable understanding of continuum of medical education in GP practices with multilevel learners? Methodology A collective case study approach was used to address the research questions and this comprised of two phases: an online questionnaire of 180 GP teachers (response rate 60%) and 17 semi-structured interviews. A combination of Activity Systems Analysis (ASA) and Thematic Analysis was used for interview analysis. Results: Five themes were identified in the interviews: 1. General practice in 2017 – The current context of workload pressures and recruitment problems in general practice impacted teaching at every level of the continuum of medical education. Recruitment to general practice was shown to be a bidirectional continuum problem. 2. External relationships - Working with at least two external organisations presented challenges for GPs. Different expectations, processes and communication channels all added to the complexity and volume of work for GP teachers in multilevel learner practices. 3. The joint teaching practice – Common facilitating factors for teaching across the continuum were a practice teaching culture and good organisation of teaching. The impact on GPs and their practices of the tension between teaching and service delivery was described and strategies to minimise this identified. 4. GP as a Teacher – The teaching, organisational and assessment tools which support teaching delivery in multilevel learner practices were highlighted. The motivators for teaching across the continuum were identified while the stress of multilevel teaching was demonstrated. 5. Near peer teaching (NPT) - In contrast to some areas, NPT in the practices in this study was relatively underdeveloped. The uncertainty related to this is described and the local and external barriers to further development of NPT presented. Discussion The use of a sociocultural approach to study the continuum of medical education enabled the importance of the current context of general practice to be appreciated and facilitated identification of key teaching-related tensions and the learning possible from these. Through the use of ASA, this study conceptualised the current GP recruitment crisis as a bidirectional challenge spanning across the continuum of medical education. Identifying relevant tensions within the systems (e.g. the expanding practice team as both a teaching opportunity and a threat) enables innovative practice and learning to be identified. While a structural continuum existed, the practices in this study did not fit with the Australian definition of Vertical Integration. This study suggested that this lack of a continuum approach originates in the separate organisational structures for postgraduate and undergraduate education. For meaningful widespread adoption of a continuum approach, these organisational tensions would need to be addressed. Conclusions: This study demonstrated a gap between the rhetoric of “a continuum approach” and the reality of “a continuum”, provided evidence why that might be and presents suggestions as to how that might start to be addressed more widely

Online Student Ratings: Increasing Response Rates

Supervisor: Tom JonesMost institutions offering distance education can identify with the problem of low response rates of online evaluation, but few have systematically investigated the issue. The purpose of this two-phase, sequential mixed method study was to first explore and generate themes about student online evaluation response motivation and practice using interviews conducted via email. Based on these themes, Phase 2 used a Web-based cross-sectional survey of undergraduate and graduate online nursing students to identify preferred strategies to maximize response rates. Perceived value represented the key theme that emerged from the qualitative narrative. Faculty members tend to value online student completed course evaluations and use student feedback for their ongoing course revisions. Students want evidence that the faculty and institution value their feedback. They expect to receive feedback from their institution regarding course changes and improvements. Survey results confirm and extend literature findings. Respondents identified rewards, risk and trust as general means to increase response rates. In particular, participants rated the relative effectiveness of administrative factors (i.e., reminders, motivators, best time for completing, and best location for posting results) and the face validity of course evaluations to measure important aspects of instruction. Online nursing student respondents rated the following reminders to complete the online course evaluation form: email message, faculty facilitator, course schedule, WebCT course calendar, Campus Pipeline homepage, and welcome letter. With a mean response level of 1.29, the Email Message reflected the most effective reminder with nearly three fourths of students ranking it as very effective. Faculty Facilitator and Course Schedule reminders also reflected very strong positive responses. The students also responded positively to factors motivating them to complete the course evaluation form. Briefly, the motivators included bonus mark for evaluation, draw for a prize, improvement/change from feedback, faculty facilitator encouragement, requirement to receive grade and comparison with other student ratings. The Bonus Mark for each course evaluated with a mean response level of 1.48 reflected an extremely effective motivator with approximately 70% of students ranking it as very effective. Further, Draw for a Prize and Notice of Course Improvement or Change resulting from Feedback also reflected very strong positive responses. Respondents clearly indicated the best time to complete course evaluations, the location for posting the results, and whether or not course evaluation addresses the important aspects of instruction. The best time to complete the online course evaluation forms seemed to be the end of the course with a mean response level of 1.29 with 78% of students ranking it as very effective. Most respondents (88.8%) indicated that results should be posted on Campus Pipeline (Intranet) rather than the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) Web site (Internet). In their open-ended responses, students asserted the need for SIAST to post course evaluation to show value for student feedback and institutional accountability and quality assurance. Finally, students confirmed that the course evaluation addresses the most important aspects of instruction (83.6% of respondents). This study has implications for educational institutions striving to maximize student response rates. First, it is fundamental that institutions show value for the student feedback by reporting evaluation results including course changes/improvements. Second, institutions should take advantage of incorporating motivators and reminders, appropriate for their organizational culture, to maximize response rates to online course evaluation. Finally, the researcher achieved a 70% response rate to the Web-based survey by employing strategies identified in the literature to maximize response rates

Sadid v. Idaho State University Clerk\u27s Record v. 1 Dckt. 37563

https://digitalcommons.law.uidaho.edu/idaho_supreme_court_record_briefs/2073/thumbnail.jp

Issues in Caribbean development : a collection of research papers; volume 1, nos. 1-5

Contents: v. 1, no. 1, Sex differences in response to general certificate of education and Caribbean Examinations Council courses in computer studies : a case study of Jamaican high schools -- no. 2, The application of information technology in the Caribbean : the case of Aquaculture Jamaica Limited -- no. 3, The divestiture of the Guyana Telecommunication Corporation : a case study -- no. 4, An assessment of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority's delivery of knowledge and information to farmers in Jamaica -- no. 5, An investigation into factors related to human development for competitiveness in the Jamaican Public Secondary Educational Syste

Panther - May 1979

https://digitalcommons.pvamu.edu/pv-panther-newspapers/1966/thumbnail.jp

An investigation into how ICT is used in teaching and learning by Initial Teacher Educators on the Primary BEd and PGCE courses in the School of Education at a British University

MA EducationThe purpose of this study was to explore the use of ICT in teaching and learning by initial teacher educators, on Primary PGCE and BEd courses, in one British university. The aim was to determine what and where good practice with ICT already existed on the Primary education courses and to identify points of action to make improvements. The world now is technology-rich and as such beginning teachers need to be prepared for the ever-changing demands of ICT in their future careers in schools, especially as their pupils are becoming ever-more digitally 'native'. This study wanted to find out what it meant to use ICT well in teaching and learning on an Initial Teacher Education course for the primary age ranges. It also wanted to ascertain the barriers to the successful embedding of ICT into the curriculum of the Primary education course. Finally, it sought to make recommendations to the case study institution as to what and how improvements could be made. The research was carried out through a thorough review of current literature as well as an analysis of the policy documents at both a local and national level. Staff who taught on the Primary education courses completed a questionnaire which allowed them to comment on their attitudes, views and usage of ICT in their teaching and learning. These results were then cross-referenced to PGCE students' evaluations of the ICT on their course, from the previous year. It was found that ICT in teaching and learning should be made explicit through the sharing of aims for learning. These aims should include as a minimum, coverage through subject areas of national curriculum for ICT for Key Stages 1 and 2, allowing students to see how ICT is supported in a particular field. Also, the curriculum should include the explicit modelling of ICT for teaching and learning in university sessions and also including activities for school experience which will strengthen students' understanding further. This will involve a curriculum review. In order to ensure that staff are competent, both at a personal level and for their embedding of ICT in their curriculum planned CPO at an appropriate level and in a meaningful context will be necessary, on an ongoing basis to keep up with the changes in technology. This would be supported by time for collaboration between colleagues to develop ideas for the curriculum

Cedars, February 8, 2007

https://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/cedars/1598/thumbnail.jp

Choice for All? Charter Schools and Students with Disabilities

In order to assess the extent and quality of special education services in charter schools in north Texas, the researcher examined data submitted to Texa Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), and conducted qualitative interviews with selected charter school administrators. Five cornerstones of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): zero reject, individualized education program (IEP), appropriate assessment, free appropriate public education (FAPE), and least restrictive environment (LRE), were utilized in the assessment of quality. Levels of expertise in federal disability law and fiscal barriers were explored, as well