Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education Summary Evaluation

The purpose of this monograph is to highlight the development of CAPE and its effects through the multiple inquiry lenses trained on the program over its first six years. The story is one of development and learning by school communities, teachers, and artists as they became increasingly and more deeply involved in arts-integrated instruction. It is also a story of increasingly tangible and measurable effects on student learning as the program matured

Adobe Youth Voices Literature Review

Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) received a grant from Adobe to conduct an evaluation of the Adobe Youth Voices (AYV) program. As part of the evaluation, EDC conducted a review of relevant literature to situate AYV in a broader context, provide stakeholders with a framework for understanding goals and outcomes, and frame and inform the evaluation questions. EDC reviewed scholarly articles, program reports and evaluations, and research studies that addressed youth media programs, youth development, teacher professional development, and other areas related to AYV's goals.Among the findings, the literature review includes 6 key points that speak to the AYV program:1. The goals of youth media programs most commonly cited can be grouped into several categories: Youth voice -- the capacity for self-expression Youth development -- the process of developing the skills and personal attributes that enable young people to become successful adults Media literacy -- the ability to analyze, evaluate and produce information in a variety of media forms Skill development -- such as communication, critical thinking, technology, and media production skills Social action or civic engagement 2. Outcomes and impacts on participants of youth media programs commonly found in the literature include: Improved skills Improved community perception of youth Positive youth development Increased social action and civic engagement 3. Outcomes and impacts on participants of youth development programs frequently cited include:Improved communication, critical thinking, and related skills Increased self-esteem More positive attitudes towards school and their futures 4. There is broad agreement that traditional educational approaches do not adequately address 21st century skills. Education must adapt to be more compatible with the ways in which young people think and learn, as well as the tools and media that are part of their environment.5. Student engagement in education has been associated with positive youth development and 21st century skills. Engaging instruction often includes inquiry- or project-based, multidisciplinary, and authentic learning activities.6. Educator professional development is believed to be a key step toward improving student outcomes. While there is little research that can demonstrate this connection, there is new focus on evaluating the effectiveness of professional development activities. Elements of effective professional development include learning communities and collaboration, ongoing support and assistance, and active or applied learning

Using Metacognition In Learning Mathematics Toward Character Building

The Ministry of National Education (Kemdiknas) plans to implement character education. Mathematics is one subject that has a big influence in preparing the students to be able to think logically, analytically, systematically, critically, and creatively, and have the ability to cooperate, allowing to be given values to build students character. Metacognition is the awareness of cognitive processes. By using metacognition, someone does all the activities with full awareness. When learning mathematics by involving his metacognition, he will be able to observe the relationship between data in the problem with the prior knowledge, to re-examine its accuracy, aswell as solving a complex problem with the simple steps, and asks himself and tries to clarify his opinion. This paper aims to develop learning Mathematics materials that consist of values and involve students metacognition to form a competent human resources and human character, discipline, honest, who perform all acts by full awareness. always make good planning, monitoring and evaluating their action. Keyword: character, values, metacognitio

Educational Research Abstracts

Editors\u27 Note: As noted in previous issues of the Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations, the purpose of this Educational Research Abstract section is to present current published research on issues relevant to math and science teaching at both the K-12 and college levels. Because educational research articles are published in so many different academic journals, it is a rare public school teacher or college professor who reads all the recent published reports on a particular instructional technique or curricular advancement. Indeed, the uniqueness of various pedagogical strategies has been tacitly acknowledged by the creation of individual journals dedicated to teaching in a specific discipline. Yet many of the insights gained in teaching certain physics concepts, biological principles, or computer science algorithms can have generalizability and value for those teaching in other fields or with different types of students. In this review, the focus is on assessment. Abstracts are presented according to a question examined in the published articles. Hopefully, such a format will trigger your reflections about exemplary math/science assessment as well as generate ideas about your own teaching situation. The abstracts presented here are not intended to be exhaustive, but rather a representative sampling of recent journal articles. Please feel free to identify other useful research articles on a particular theme or to suggest future teaching themes to be examined. Please send your comments and ideas via email to [email protected] or by regular mail to The College of William and Mary, P. O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23185-8795

Student Assessment And Misconceptions Of Photosynthesis: A Notion Of Shifting Perspective

Photosynthesis topic is as a compulsory topic ineducation typically in the second year of secondary high school. There is perception of some students that the photosynthesis topic is difficult to learn by student. This paper will clarify questions such as what assessment does mean, what student misconceptions in photosynthesis are, how teachers deal with student misconceptions, and last, why do teachers, school and curriculum need to change perspective in assessment. Based on the discussion, there are some parts that need to be reaffirmed. The teachers should not just recognize assessment as a formal paper, but in term of perspective and classroom instruction. It should be actualized in teaching-learning that there is no judgement of right and wrong for students in leaning.  Thus, dealing with student conception could be difficult for the teacher. The principal way is the teacher needs to be clear on the topic's planning and negotiate the meaning of all representations used in the classroom. Changing the type of assessments does not just simply mean changing teaching strategies or having appropriate types of assessment tool, but it could be a powerful source when it is integrated in the curriculum

Why Aren't They Teaching? A study of why some University of Alaska teacher education graduates aren't in classrooms

Alaska Statute 14.40.190(b), passed as Senate Bill 241 in 2008, requires the University of Alaska (UA) Board of Regents to submit a report each regular session titled Alaska’s University for Alaska’s Schools that “describes the efforts of the university to attract, train, and retain qualified public school teachers.” In 2012 this report documented that approximately 50% of UA initial teacher preparation graduates did not teach in Alaska public schools after completing their programs. Unfortunately, the data available could not tell us the reasons why so many graduates were not employed as teachers. In response to legislators’ questions about this, the three UA Education deans (with support from the Center for Alaska Education Policy Research) made a commitment to conduct a 2012 research project to understand why graduates of UA initial teacher preparation programs did or did not teach in Alaska public schools after completing their programs. This project was conducted in response to that commitment

A Centralized SDN Architecture for the 5G Cellular Network

In order to meet the increasing demands of high data rate and low latency cellular broadband applications, plans are underway to roll out the Fifth Generation (5G) cellular wireless system by the year 2020. This paper proposes a novel method for adapting the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)'s 5G architecture to the principles of Software Defined Networking (SDN). We propose to have centralized network functions in the 5G network core to control the network, end-to-end. This is achieved by relocating the control functionality present in the 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) to the network core, resulting in the conversion of the base station known as the gNB into a pure data plane node. This brings about a significant reduction in signaling costs between the RAN and the core network. It also results in improved system performance. The merits of our proposal have been illustrated by evaluating the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of the 5G network, such as network attach (registration) time and handover time. We have also demonstrated improvements in attach time and system throughput due to the use of centralized algorithms for mobility management with the help of ns-3 simulations

The Importance Of Technology Usage In The Classroom, Does Gender Gaps Exist

A decade ago, access to technology was limited and wiring schools was one of the nation's highest education priorities (NCREL, 2005). Ten years of substantial investments have vastly improved this picture. According to the Secretary's Fourth Annual Report on Teacher Quality, virtually every school with access to computers has Internet access (99%), compared to only 35 percent of schools in 1994, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (Parsad & Jones, 2005). The Office of Technology Assessment report to Congress in 1995 stated that "Technology is not central to the teacher preparation experience in most colleges of education. …most new teachers graduate from teacher preparation institutions with limited knowledge of the ways technology can be used in their professional practice" (Office of Technology Assessment, 1995). The report, in which this statement appeared, titled Teachers and Technology: Making the Connection, was a wake-up call, and over the past years, much remunerative progress has been made. Many states are attempting to address educators’ technology skills through the creation of teacher or administrator standards that include technology; as of 2003, 40 states and the District of Columbia have such standards (Ansell & Park, 2003). A number of states have adopted technology requirements for initial licensure. For example, 13 states require teachers and/or administrators to complete technology-related coursework, and nine require them to pass technology-related assessments. In addition, a number of states have implemented policies to improve veteran teachers’ technological skills (Ansell &Park, 2003). Addressing the issues of technology integration into the curriculum, the Maryland State Department of Education’s (MSDE) PT3 consortium infused technology into the state's teacher education programs in three ways. First, the consortium used the Maryland Teacher Technology Standards to redesign both arts and sciences and education courses so they incorporate technology-related knowledge and skills. The Maryland Teacher Technology Standards included learning outcomes and, core learning goals and skills for success; it also specifies what students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade need to know and be able to do in English/Language Arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. The Maryland State Department of Education (1999) provided expectations for how technology can and should be used to support student learning and instruction. Second, the group developed performance assessments in order to measure the technological competence of teacher candidates. Third, the consortium developed a system for electronic portfolios that incorporates a student teacher's technology performance assessment. These portfolios can be made available to future employers to demonstrate technology-related proficiency. The consortium is statewide and diverse, including several public universities and two communities. According to a report titled, Tech-Savvy: Educating Girls in the New Computer Age (AAUW, 2000), Washington, DC; as violent electronic games and dull programming classes turn off increasing numbers of adolescent girls, the way information technology is used, applied, and taught in the nation’s classrooms must change. Furthermore, commensurate with rapid changes in technology, a remarkably consistent picture emerges: more boys than girls experience an early, passionate attachment to computers, whereas for most girls attachment is subdued. Margolis and Fisher (2002) reported that computing is claimed as “male territory” very early in life: from early childhood through college, computing is both actively claimed as “guy stuff” by boys and men and passively ceded by girls and women. Society and culture have linked interest and success with computers to boys and men. In the words of Margolis and Fisher (2002), “curriculum, teachers’ expectations, and culture reflect boys’ pathways into computing, accepting both assumptions of male excellence and women’s deficiencies in the field” (p. 4). Social expectations towards educational leadership in academic and economics terms depend on the integration of technology in every facet of society. The American family survival depends on the abilities and incomes of all adults. The type of technical skills needed to be creative and to survive in the job market escalates daily. Educational leaders must be aware that gender equity among middle school students with respect to the use of computer technology should be grounded in the development of programs that not only address the educational aspect of schools, but also allow students to develop their appreciation for, and understanding of the interrelationship among computer usage, careers, and values. With the implementation of such programs, schools could operate as equalizers for the sexes regarding computer competency and attitudes. Educational leaders have the ability to direct resources to show how computer technology may release the creative impulse in children and allow them to think and learn. Educators need to link the curriculum and technology with student interests. Both male and female students use computer applications that can be linked to the educational setting, such as word processing, Internet, completing homework, reports, and projects, as well as communication through email, self-expression, and personal interest. Educators who are developing these programs must understand how girls lose interest in technology and recognize the different learning styles of each gender. The role of training district school teachers to effectively utilize computer technology within the classroom is important if strides are to be made in supporting girls and women in choosing computer-related careers and using computers as a medium of expression. Institutions of higher education would provide opportunities and hold the responsibility of reviewing the technical construction of each teacher’s plan. Educational leaders will meet frequently with university representatives to review, discuss, record experiences, develop, modify, and evaluate plans and performances to ensure that teachers receive the training necessary to instruct all students utilizing appropriate computer technology. Degree attainment, certification, and re-certification should be linked to the variation of experiences, the structure, depth, detail, and impact of the program developed by the practitioner in consultation with representatives from higher education and the school district. Partnerships with local school districts and institutions of higher learner should be established to develop programs, which incorporate many of the tenets discussed above

Educational Research Abstracts

Editors\u27 Note: As noted in previous issues of the Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations, the purpose of this Educational Research Abstract section is to present current research on issues relevant to math and science teaching at both the K-12 and college levels. Because educational research studies are published in so many different academic journals and presented as so many different professional conferences, it is a rare public school teacher or college professor who is familiar with the range of recent reposts on a particular instructional technique or curricular advancement. Indeed, the uniqueness of various pedagogical strategies has been tacitly acknowledged by the creation of individual journals and professional organizations dedicated to teaching in a specific discipline. Yet, many of the insights gained in teaching certain physics concepts, biological principles, or computer science algorithms can have generalizability and value for those teaching in other fields or with different types of students. In this review, the focus is on cutting edge research. Abstracts are presented according to a question examined at a recent national educational research conference. Hopefully, such a format will trigger your interest in how you might incorporate new educational findings in your own teaching situation. The abstracts presented here are not intended to be exhaustive, but rather a representative sampling of recent research investigations. Please feel free to suggest future teaching or learning themes to be examined. Please send your comments and ideas via e-mail to [email protected] or by regular mail to The College of William and Mary, P. O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23185-8795