Learner-centered social support: enhancing online distance education for underserved rural high school students in the United States

Over the past decade, federal programs in the United States have largely addressed the well-documented problem of differences in basic access to technology between rural schools and their suburban and urban counterparts. Consequently, rural schools are better able to prepare their students for post-secondary education and the workplace where digital literacy is essential. As technology access improves, online distance education (ODE) is seen as a solution to significant challenges faced by rural schools, including a lack of highly-qualified teachers and declining population. However, ODE has high attrition rates, partly because participants’ social needs are often neglected. Additionally, students' success depends on their abilities to engage in self-regulated learning, effective time management and self-reflection, skills that many high school students are still developing. This paper describes an experimental research study funded by the U.S. Department of Education, currently underway in rural high schools across the U.S. The research adds to a growing body of work that attempts to expand understanding of the digital divide. Increasingly, schools realise that this is no longer an issue of mere access to equipment; education technology projects should incorporate strategies that ensure the success of previously marginalised communities. Our intervention, based on the APA’s Learner- Centered Principles, involves training on-site facilitators to provide social support for students involved in ODE. Preliminary findings indicate that the intervention group has a significantly lower dropout rate

Looking East: Yin And Yang Of An Academic Exchange

Intended as a brief guide to the cultural differences associated with an East-West academic exchange, this paper discusses customs and cultural norms likely to be encountered. Chinese economic growth has been accompanied by rapidly increasing East-West study abroad opportunities. Over the past decade, China has sent more students to study abroad than any other country and the number of American students studying in China has increased exponentially (Laughlin). In many cases, both U.S. and Chinese students and faculty participating in an American academic study abroad program are inadequately prepared for, and indeed surprised, by the differences in customs they encounter. Professors and students participating in an East-West exchange were interviewed. Cultural differences are discussed and examples are presented intended to help prepare students and professors for successful guanxi (networking)

Exploring teachers' perspectives about executive functions in the primary school context in New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Educational Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand

Cognitive psychology research has suggested that executive functions (EFs), a set of cognitive skills that facilitate goal-directed behaviour, play an important role in learning and academic success. EFs, comprised of the three core cognitive components of inhibitory skills, working memory, and cognitive flexibility, are also associated with social-emotional learning and competency. Research has also shown that targeted teaching and practice can improve EFs, with far reaching benefits. However, there is currently little evidence about whether teachers are aware of these skills, or of their importance. This study, therefore, explored New Zealand primary teachers’ perspectives about EFs as a necessary first step to understanding teachers’ knowledge, values and practice in New Zealand. The study used a mixed methods design to obtain quantitative and qualitative data through an online survey. Results indicated that teachers were generally aware that there is a set of non subject-specific skills that are important to learning, but their knowledge and understanding of EFs themselves, prior to completion of the survey, was limited. Teachers rated all EFs as very important to learning and the majority of teachers were already attempting to support development of EFs within their classroom practice. Knowledge of and use of specific activities or teaching strategies to target development of specific EFs was limited, however many teachers were providing learning environments conducive to using and practicing EFs. This research highlights the need for professional development and support for teachers to develop their understanding of EFs. It also demonstrated a need to provide teachers with a range of teaching strategies and activities to integrate within their current learning environments in order to better support development of EFs within their students

International Initiatives To Eliminate Corruption: Has Bribery Declined?

Bribery discriminates against honest companies by creating a barrier to entry in the form of a competitive disadvantage.  An important legal issue with significant implications is whether recent international anti-corruption laws have leveled the playing field for firms doing business abroad.  One of the first laws proscribing illicit payments to foreign public officials is the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), initially enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1977.  From its inception, the FCPA has been criticized for placing U.S. firms at a competitive disadvantage based on the fact that few countries outlawed bribery of foreign officials.  In the past ten years, several international treaties have been ratified that seek to criminalize bribery and eliminate the tax deductibility of corrupt payments made to foreign public officials.  This paper discusses anti-corruption laws and their effectiveness in creating a transparent business environment that discourages bribery.     

Monitoring E-Mail In The Workplace: Privacy Rights And Employer Responsibilities

Two important legal issues with significant implications for both employers and employees are whether employers have a right to access their employees’ e-mail correspondence and whether employers should monitor their e-mail systems.  Many people assume that e-mail messages sent and received at work are afforded the same legal protection from invasion of privacy afforded traditional letters.  This assumption could not be further from the truth. Privacy law, case law, and Title VII responsibilities are discussed.  Suggestions are made for procedures employers should follow to ensure the proper use of e-mail in the workplace

Student Use Of Technology In Class: Engaged Or Unplugged?

In recent years, there has been a great deal of discussion about the need for student engagement and a meaningful connection in the classroom. With the advent of cell phones, computers and the Internet, students are more connected to, and, at the same time, more disconnected from each other than ever before. We are living in the age of exponential change and technological convergence where forms of technology speak to each other. The omnipresent cell phone is a mini-computer and according to futurist Ray Kurzweil, “What now fits in your pocket 25 years from now will fit into a blood cell and will again be millions of times more cost effective.” (Greene, 2010) A survey of 211 undergraduates was conducted in an effort to determine whether student use of technology in the classroom enhances engagement or encourages disconnection. The results are discussed and suggestions are proposed

Facebook: Perils, Perceptions And Precautions

Facebook is one of the fastest growing applications of the Internet.  Social networking via Facebook provides a popular way for students and others to connect with a wide audience and expand their circle of friends.  Facebook account holders have been denied admission to universities, not hired for jobs, lost scholarships, been disciplined by college administrators and arrested for online postings and exercising what they consider to be their right of free speech.  A survey of 118 undergraduate students and 45 employers was conducted in an effort to determine their Facebook habits and perceptions about proper postings.  Recent cases involving disciplinary action, restrictions on Facebook use and the First Amendment are discussed.  Suggestions are made for safer Facebook protocol

The impact of the Balanced Scorecard in libraries: from performance measurement to strategic management

A literature review of the development of the Balanced Scorecard in libraries was used to develop a series of hypotheses on the main characteristics of its implementation, use and outcomes. These were tested via an electronic questionnaire sent to a sample of 49 academic, public and national libraries worldwide known to be using the Balanced Scorecard, with 15 respondents. The results show that the key driver for most was to improve library management; considerable support was needed in developing the framework; selecting the Key Performance Indicators was the most challenging implementation issue; and most felt they had benefited from using the Balanced Scorecard

An investigation of the complexities of successful and unsuccessful guide dog matching and partnerships.

Matching a person who is blind or visually impaired with a guide dog is a process of finding the most suitable guide dog available for that individual. Not all guide dog partnerships are successful, and the consequences of an unsuccessful partnership may result in reduced mobility and quality of life for the handler (owner), and are costly in time and resources for guide dog training establishments. This study examined 50 peoples' partnerships with one or more dogs (118 pairings) to ascertain the outcome of the relationship. Forty-three of the 118 dogs were returned to the guide dog training establishment before reaching retirement age, with the majority (n = 40) being categorized as having dog-related issues. Most (n = 26) of these dogs' issues were classified as being behavioral in character, including work-related and non-work-related behavior, and 14 were due to physical causes (mainly poor health). Three dogs were returned due to matters relating to the handlers' behavior. More second dogs were returned than the handlers' first or third dogs, and dogs that had been previously used as a guide could be rematched successfully. Defining matching success is not clear-cut. Not all dogs that were returned were considered by their handlers to have been mismatched, and not all dogs retained until retirement were thought to have been good matches, suggesting that some handlers were retaining what they considered to be a poorly matched dog. Almost all the handlers who regarded a dog as being mismatched conceded that some aspects of the match were good. For example, a dog deemed mismatched for poor working behavior may have shown good home and/or other social behaviors. The same principle was true for successful matches, where few handlers claimed to have had a perfect dog. It is hoped that these results may help the guide dog industry identify important aspects of the matching process, and/or be used to identify areas where a matching problem exists