Downloads & Free Reading Options - Results

This investigation examined the perspectives of twenty National Board Certified Teachers toward the use of growth measures of student learning for teacher evaluation. An analysis of responses from four focus groups that included elementary and secondary teachers, showed that there is much concern about the validity and efficiency of current measures of student progress, whether use of value-added or shorter common "pretest-posttest" designs, and that there is much "gaming" of the systems to assure positive student growth results. Teachers reported low morale as a result of the emphasis on what they viewed as less than credible measures of student growth that could not account for student differences and other contextual variables. Classroom assessment emerged as a promising alternative the use of large-scale or common testing. Recommendations are included for implementing student growth measures that have greater validity.

This investigation examined the perspectives of twenty National Board Certified Teachers toward the use of growth measures of student learning for teacher evaluation. An analysis of responses from four focus groups that included elementary and secondary teachers, showed that there is much concern about the validity and efficiency of current measures of student progress, whether use of value-added or shorter common "pretest-posttest" designs, and that there is much "gaming" of the systems to assure positive student growth results. Teachers reported low morale as a result of the emphasis on what they viewed as less than credible measures of student growth that could not account for student differences and other contextual variables. Classroom assessment emerged as a promising alternative the use of large-scale or common testing. Recommendations are included for implementing student growth measures that have greater validity.

The goal of this paper, and the symposium it represents, is to provide an examination of the perspectives of district personnel from four diverse states. The papers present the current status of legislated student assessment programs in California, Colorado, Connecticut, and Illinois. Similarities and differences in implementation methodology are discussed. Results are presented from an interstate survey of district test directors relative to assessment trends and the impact of the state programs. The current status of plans relative to the evaluation of programs funded by Title 1 is reviewed. The following chapters are included: (1) "The California Perspective" (Mardel R. Kolls); (2) "The Colorado Perspective" (Kevin Matter); (3) "The Connecticut Perspective" (Mary E. Yakimowski); and (4) "The Illinois Perspective" (Carole Perlman). Survey results represented about 35% of the student enrollment in California (84 school districts), over 53% of students in Colorado (55 districts), 50.1% of Connecticut students (104 districts), and 59 districts in Illinois. An appendix contains the survey text. (SLD)

The goal of this paper, and the symposium it represents, is to provide an examination of the perspectives of district personnel from four diverse states. The papers present the current status of legislated student assessment programs in California, Colorado, Connecticut, and Illinois. Similarities and differences in implementation methodology are discussed. Results are presented from an interstate survey of district test directors relative to assessment trends and the impact of the state programs. The current status of plans relative to the evaluation of programs funded by Title 1 is reviewed. The following chapters are included: (1) "The California Perspective" (Mardel R. Kolls); (2) "The Colorado Perspective" (Kevin Matter); (3) "The Connecticut Perspective" (Mary E. Yakimowski); and (4) "The Illinois Perspective" (Carole Perlman). Survey results represented about 35% of the student enrollment in California (84 school districts), over 53% of students in Colorado (55 districts), 50.1% of Connecticut students (104 districts), and 59 districts in Illinois. An appendix contains the survey text. (SLD)

"What Drives Learning: Young People's Perspectives on the Importance of Relationships, Belonging, and Agency" is the third publication in the How Learning Happens research series. Together with "All of Who I Am" (see ED606338) and "The State of Young People during COVID-19," (see ED606305), this report places adolescents' experiences and perspectives at the center of an urgent national conversation about prioritizing young people's social, emotional, and cognitive development. Based on findings from a nationally representative survey of 3,300 high school students, "What Drives Learning" highlights the effect that supportive relationships, a sense of belonging, and feelings of agency can have on students' self-reported engagement and learning in school. [Support for this research was provided by Sanford Programs at National University System.]

"What Drives Learning: Young People's Perspectives on the Importance of Relationships, Belonging, and Agency" is the third publication in the How Learning Happens research series. Together with "All of Who I Am" (see ED606338) and "The State of Young People during COVID-19," (see ED606305), this report places adolescents' experiences and perspectives at the center of an urgent national conversation about prioritizing young people's social, emotional, and cognitive development. Based on findings from a nationally representative survey of 3,300 high school students, "What Drives Learning" highlights the effect that supportive relationships, a sense of belonging, and feelings of agency can have on students' self-reported engagement and learning in school. [Support for this research was provided by Sanford Programs at National University System.]

In this book, teacher educators and researchers show how classrooms can come alive when talk is used constructively. Following an introduction by Donald L. Rubin, the articles include: "Speaking Creatures in the Classroom" (Judith Wells Lindfors); "Oral Language and Learning" (Douglas Barnes); "Negotiation, Language, and Inquiry: Building Knowledge Collaboratively in the Classroom" (Cynthia Onore); "Asking Questions about Questions" (Theresa Roger and others); "Play Talk, School Talk, and Emergent Literacy" (Lee Galda and A. D. Pellegrini); "Talking Up a Writing Community: The Role of Talk in Learning to Write" (Anne Haas Dyson); "Talking in Writing Groups" (Anne Ruggles Gere); "Reading and Response to Literature: Transactionalizing Instruction" (Stanley B. Straw);"Teacher/Student Talk: The Collaborative Conference" (Muriel Harris); "Talking Life and Literature" (Susan Hynds); "Student Performance of Literature" (Elizabeth C. Fine); "Dramatic Improvisation in the Classroom" (Betty Jane Wagner); "Learning to Listen and Learning to Read" (Sara W. Lundsteen); "Oral Activities in the English Classroom" (Phil Backlund); "Language Diversity and Learning" (Lisa D. Delpit); "Bilingual/ESL Learners Talking in the English Classroom" (Sarah Hudelson); and "The Silent Sounds of Language Variation in the Classroom" (Jerrie Cobb Scott). (MG)

In this book, teacher educators and researchers show how classrooms can come alive when talk is used constructively. Following an introduction by Donald L. Rubin, the articles include: "Speaking Creatures in the Classroom" (Judith Wells Lindfors); "Oral Language and Learning" (Douglas Barnes); "Negotiation, Language, and Inquiry: Building Knowledge Collaboratively in the Classroom" (Cynthia Onore); "Asking Questions about Questions" (Theresa Roger and others); "Play Talk, School Talk, and Emergent Literacy" (Lee Galda and A. D. Pellegrini); "Talking Up a Writing Community: The Role of Talk in Learning to Write" (Anne Haas Dyson); "Talking in Writing Groups" (Anne Ruggles Gere); "Reading and Response to Literature: Transactionalizing Instruction" (Stanley B. Straw);"Teacher/Student Talk: The Collaborative Conference" (Muriel Harris); "Talking Life and Literature" (Susan Hynds); "Student Performance of Literature" (Elizabeth C. Fine); "Dramatic Improvisation in the Classroom" (Betty Jane Wagner); "Learning to Listen and Learning to Read" (Sara W. Lundsteen); "Oral Activities in the English Classroom" (Phil Backlund); "Language Diversity and Learning" (Lisa D. Delpit); "Bilingual/ESL Learners Talking in the English Classroom" (Sarah Hudelson); and "The Silent Sounds of Language Variation in the Classroom" (Jerrie Cobb Scott). (MG)

In this book, teacher educators and researchers show how classrooms can come alive when talk is used constructively. Following an introduction by Donald L. Rubin, the articles include: "Speaking Creatures in the Classroom" (Judith Wells Lindfors); "Oral Language and Learning" (Douglas Barnes); "Negotiation, Language, and Inquiry: Building Knowledge Collaboratively in the Classroom" (Cynthia Onore); "Asking Questions about Questions" (Theresa Roger and others); "Play Talk, School Talk, and Emergent Literacy" (Lee Galda and A. D. Pellegrini); "Talking Up a Writing Community: The Role of Talk in Learning to Write" (Anne Haas Dyson); "Talking in Writing Groups" (Anne Ruggles Gere); "Reading and Response to Literature: Transactionalizing Instruction" (Stanley B. Straw);"Teacher/Student Talk: The Collaborative Conference" (Muriel Harris); "Talking Life and Literature" (Susan Hynds); "Student Performance of Literature" (Elizabeth C. Fine); "Dramatic Improvisation in the Classroom" (Betty Jane Wagner); "Learning to Listen and Learning to Read" (Sara W. Lundsteen); "Oral Activities in the English Classroom" (Phil Backlund); "Language Diversity and Learning" (Lisa D. Delpit); "Bilingual/ESL Learners Talking in the English Classroom" (Sarah Hudelson); and "The Silent Sounds of Language Variation in the Classroom" (Jerrie Cobb Scott). (MG)

In this book, teacher educators and researchers show how classrooms can come alive when talk is used constructively. Following an introduction by Donald L. Rubin, the articles include: "Speaking Creatures in the Classroom" (Judith Wells Lindfors); "Oral Language and Learning" (Douglas Barnes); "Negotiation, Language, and Inquiry: Building Knowledge Collaboratively in the Classroom" (Cynthia Onore); "Asking Questions about Questions" (Theresa Roger and others); "Play Talk, School Talk, and Emergent Literacy" (Lee Galda and A. D. Pellegrini); "Talking Up a Writing Community: The Role of Talk in Learning to Write" (Anne Haas Dyson); "Talking in Writing Groups" (Anne Ruggles Gere); "Reading and Response to Literature: Transactionalizing Instruction" (Stanley B. Straw);"Teacher/Student Talk: The Collaborative Conference" (Muriel Harris); "Talking Life and Literature" (Susan Hynds); "Student Performance of Literature" (Elizabeth C. Fine); "Dramatic Improvisation in the Classroom" (Betty Jane Wagner); "Learning to Listen and Learning to Read" (Sara W. Lundsteen); "Oral Activities in the English Classroom" (Phil Backlund); "Language Diversity and Learning" (Lisa D. Delpit); "Bilingual/ESL Learners Talking in the English Classroom" (Sarah Hudelson); and "The Silent Sounds of Language Variation in the Classroom" (Jerrie Cobb Scott). (MG)

Our analysis explores the agenda for student learning communicated in interviews with school district officials from four Ontario districts. Using research methods drawn from collective action framing theory, we identified six core frames and one broader frame in the discourse on student learning: (a) measureable academic achievement, (b) personalized preparation for post-secondary destinations, (c) a well-rounded education, (d) personal development, (e) faith/values-based education, (f) social identity development, and (g) developing the whole child (the broader frame). The analysis highlights the administrators' advocacy for a more encompassing educational agenda than that mandated by government curriculum and accountability policies, and the utility of framing theory for education policy analysis. (Contains 1 table and 1 footnote.)

Our analysis explores the agenda for student learning communicated in interviews with school district officials from four Ontario districts. Using research methods drawn from collective action framing theory, we identified six core frames and one broader frame in the discourse on student learning: (a) measureable academic achievement, (b) personalized preparation for post-secondary destinations, (c) a well-rounded education, (d) personal development, (e) faith/values-based education, (f) social identity development, and (g) developing the whole child (the broader frame). The analysis highlights the administrators' advocacy for a more encompassing educational agenda than that mandated by government curriculum and accountability policies, and the utility of framing theory for education policy analysis. (Contains 1 table and 1 footnote.)

Knowing that motivation is at the crux of learning, we examined students' motivation to engage--or not--in courses which include the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Although many college instructors use ICTs, there are no studies on the perspectives of professors identified as exemplary users of technology. This is why we interviewed 114 professors deemed by their students to be excellent in their use of technology in their teaching. We obtained our interviewees by first surveying 337 students, 95 of whom were immigrants, about their ICT likes, dislikes, suggestions and teacher nominations. Highlights of the student survey indicate that there were no significant differences between genders, the English and French colleges, and those born in and outside of Canada. An overwhelming majority of students liked it when their professors used ICTs in their teaching and were able to detail their views (e.g., wanting access to PowerPoints online). After coding what the students truly appreciated, we realized our take-home message is that it is preferable for professors to employ simpler and fewer ICTs well than to use many, complicated ones without a pedagogical purpose. Finally, in comparing the two perspectives, our results show that many students wanted to use their own technology in the classroom but that a majority of their professors did not allow them to do this, except for the exemplary professors where most of them did allow this. The following are appended: (1) Questionnaires for College Students; (2) E-learning Questionnaire for College Students; (3) Interview Questions for Professors; and (4) Computer Technology Checklist for Professors. [This document is based on the final report of a project funded by the Fonds de recherche du Québec--Société et culture (FRQSC) and its partner the the ministère de l'Éducation et de l'Enseignement supérieur (MEES) for the program Actions concertées Persévérance et réussite scolaires.]

It is essential that children who are deaf-blind have learning experiences that improve their quality of life. Unfortunately, even when educational teams work together to create individualized education programs, these students do not always have full and equal opportunities to learn. This issue of "Practice Perspectives" describes the basics of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and how it applies to students who are deaf-blind. The information is intended to help teachers, parents, interveners, and individuals with deaf-blindness better understand UDL so that they can actively participate in the development of UDL practices to improve education for all students.

The assessment of student learning outcomes is of keen interest to the federal government, accrediting bodies, and education associations and policymakers. Colleges and universities have been under increased pressured to demonstrate accountability for student learning and be more transparent about dimensions of educational quality. Although institutions are responding to these demands, it is not altogether clear where learning outcomes assessment ranks in importance on institutions' action agenda, or the extent to which colleges and universities are using assessment results to make real improvements in the quality of student learning. The National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA) is a multiyear effort to understand and further the student learning outcomes agenda nationally. One of NILOA's primary activities is tracking the journey of higher education institutions responding to the challenge of outcomes assessment. To this end, NILOA conducts surveys, focus groups, and case studies to learn more about what colleges and universities are doing to assess student learning and how they are using the results. This paper highlights lessons from four focus group sessions with campus leaders--presidents, provosts, academic deans and directors of institutional research from a variety of two- and four-year institutions--regarding their perspectives on the state of learning assessment practices on their campuses. The perceptions are considered in relation to findings from the 2009 NILOA survey report, "More Than You Think, Less Than We Need: Learning Outcomes Assessment in Higher Education." The perspectives of campus leaders provide first-hand accounts of a range of student learning outcomes activities on campus and help contextualize results from the 2009 NILOA survey. Focus group findings illustrate the extent to which assessment has taken hold on campus, explicate the role of accreditation and the responsibility of faculty in student learning outcomes assessment, and showcase how assessment has been furthered on campuses. The institutional examples of innovative assessment practices, particularly those that involve faculty in meaningful ways and lead to institutional improvements, and the promising ways that assessment has been woven into administrative structures and processes, are instructive for advancing understanding of what is happening on the ground at colleges and universities. The paper concludes by articulating questions and challenges raised by campus leaders including reservations about identifying and using assessment measures, issues of transparency and communicating results, and concerns about financing assessment. As the demand for greater emphasis on student learning outcomes assessment intensifies, it is important to document both the successes and challenges associated with campus efforts to respond. Campus leaders provide an important perspective on what is most likely to help assessment efforts grow and deepen in institutions. (Contains 4 footnotes.)

Since the "No Child Left Behind Act" (NCLB) was formally signed into law more than a decade ago, school reform efforts in the United States have been shaped by a neoliberal ideology that has exacted a tremendous toll on students, teachers, and teacher educators. Because the majority of the preservice teachers currently entering the profession came of age during the era of NCLB, teacher education programs and instructors who take sociocritical perspectives face unique challenges. The authors posed the following questions as part of an ongoing inquiry into their teaching: How might they, as teacher educators, offer preservice teachers opportunities to imagine school as a place where students explore their own interests, question the status quo, and use literacy for social change? How do the preservice teachers respond to these invitations? What questions, tensions, and insights arise? How and when do they draw on and/or problematize their previous experiences with schooling? In an effort to engage these questions, the authors consider how preservice teachers in two distinct regional contexts within the United States respond to literacy methods courses that utilize the framework of critical literacy as a lens through which to problematize past experiences, consider new possibilities for schooling, and interrupt dominant conceptions of teaching and learning as neutral, technical endeavors.

Although lifelong learning was a term created to mean cradle-to-grave learning, it has come to mean specifically adult learning and education. The adult learning force in the U.S. is huge and growing in size as well as interest. Since eighty-five percent of the active adult learners are high school graduates, they are eligible for postsecondary education. Many enroll in the formal programs offered by colleges and universities, but an even larger number spend time on self-directed, informal learning projects. Four social forces are contributing to this increase in adult education: (1) national pressure for expanded educational opportunities, which has resulted in learning no longer being tied to a physical location; (2) a combination of decreased emphasis on the credentials of the educational provider and increased emphasis on the credentials of the learner, permitting academic credit for experiential learning; (3) recognition of the necessity for, and pleasure derived from, lifelong learning; and (4) the societal shift from a linear life plan to a blended life plan, which has been produced, in part, by the job shortage. Educational providers for lifelong learning are a diverse group including libraries, museums, and television as well as schools. As they develop their unique educational strengths, they will continue to provide education with a diversity of options. (ELG)

Although lifelong learning was a term created to mean cradle-to-grave learning, it has come to mean specifically adult learning and education. The adult learning force in the U.S. is huge and growing in size as well as interest. Since eighty-five percent of the active adult learners are high school graduates, they are eligible for postsecondary education. Many enroll in the formal programs offered by colleges and universities, but an even larger number spend time on self-directed, informal learning projects. Four social forces are contributing to this increase in adult education: (1) national pressure for expanded educational opportunities, which has resulted in learning no longer being tied to a physical location; (2) a combination of decreased emphasis on the credentials of the educational provider and increased emphasis on the credentials of the learner, permitting academic credit for experiential learning; (3) recognition of the necessity for, and pleasure derived from, lifelong learning; and (4) the societal shift from a linear life plan to a blended life plan, which has been produced, in part, by the job shortage. Educational providers for lifelong learning are a diverse group including libraries, museums, and television as well as schools. As they develop their unique educational strengths, they will continue to provide education with a diversity of options. (ELG)

This publication is designed to help local administrators and teachers achieve the fundamental goal of the No Child Left Behind Act, that is, improved learning for all students. For administrators, it furnishes information useful for understanding the key issues that must be dealt with at the district, school, and classroom levels; provides a view of what students are to learn; presents ways to ensure that curriculum, instruction, and assessment are aligned with standards; and offers guidance on how to support teachers' efforts. For teachers, the guide provides information on how to create standards-based learning experiences. The guide is divided into four chapters, including an introduction. Chapter 2 highlights the importance of defining the knowledge and skills students will be expected to acquire and provides guidance for districts and teachers by specifying what students will be learning. Chapters 3 and 4 provide specific guidelines for teachers in designing standards-based units, choosing the best instructional approaches, creating learning experiences, and selecting assessments while considering the diverse needs of students. Each of the three main chapters contains helpful resources, key ideas, and paradigms presented as sidebar material; various figures and exhibits; a conclusion; and references. (Contains 59 references.) (WFA)

Current distance education benefits greatly from educational software that makes group work possible for students who are separated in time and space. However, some students prefer distance education because they can work on their own. This paper explores how students react to expectations on behalf of the course provider to do their assignments in collaborative groups. They are seemingly both positively surprised by the challenges that group work offer, and they are less positive to the downsides of group work. The paper discusses both sides of the experiences and suggests why this might be a paradox to live with. (Contains 2 tables.) [A previous version of this paper, written in Norwegian, was printed in: Gunnar Grepperud, Anne Iversen, Gunnar Myklebost og Torstein Rekkedal (red.) "Til a bli klok av ...Et knippe prosjekterfaringer" Norgesuniversitetets skriftserie nr. 2/2005, Tromso (s.63-77).]

Current distance education benefits greatly from educational software that makes group work possible for students who are separated in time and space. However, some students prefer distance education because they can work on their own. This paper explores how students react to expectations on behalf of the course provider to do their assignments in collaborative groups. They are seemingly both positively surprised by the challenges that group work offer, and they are less positive to the downsides of group work. The paper discusses both sides of the experiences and suggests why this might be a paradox to live with. (Contains 2 tables.) [A previous version of this paper, written in Norwegian, was printed in: Gunnar Grepperud, Anne Iversen, Gunnar Myklebost og Torstein Rekkedal (red.) "Til a bli klok av ...Et knippe prosjekterfaringer" Norgesuniversitetets skriftserie nr. 2/2005, Tromso (s.63-77).]

Recent mobile learning technologies offer the opportunity for students to take charge of the learning process both inside and outside the classroom. One of these tools is the tablet PC (hereafter "tablet"). In parallel with increased access to e-content, the role of tablets in learning has recently begun to be examined. This study aims to reveal the relationship between the level of acceptance of tablets (TAM) and the level of self-directed learning with technology (SDLT) of students and to differentiate these in terms of gender. A mixed method research design is used in this study. In addition, the qualitative part of the study aims to determine the reasons students have for using or not using tablets for supporting learning. The study group consisted of 414 high school students, involved in the pilot application group of the FATIH project in Turkey. According to the study, a significant positive relationship was determined between four of the variables of tablet acceptance and the SDLT level. While the degree of acceptance of tablets was different according to gender, the SDLT level was not.

Recent mobile learning technologies offer the opportunity for students to take charge of the learning process both inside and outside the classroom. One of these tools is the tablet PC (hereafter "tablet"). In parallel with increased access to e-content, the role of tablets in learning has recently begun to be examined. This study aims to reveal the relationship between the level of acceptance of tablets (TAM) and the level of self-directed learning with technology (SDLT) of students and to differentiate these in terms of gender. A mixed method research design is used in this study. In addition, the qualitative part of the study aims to determine the reasons students have for using or not using tablets for supporting learning. The study group consisted of 414 high school students, involved in the pilot application group of the FATIH project in Turkey. According to the study, a significant positive relationship was determined between four of the variables of tablet acceptance and the SDLT level. While the degree of acceptance of tablets was different according to gender, the SDLT level was not.

Networked learning and learning networks are commonplace concepts in most contemporary discourse on learning in the 21st century. This special issue provides a collection of studies that address the need for a growing body of empirical work to extent the limited understanding of the use and benefits of networks in relation to learning and professional development. In this article we attempt to offer a synthesis of the studies presented in this special issue and reflect on their findings. The studies in this issue present a rich combination of networked professional learning research addressing issues related to the composition and structure of learning networks, their content and activities, showing how multi-faceted research in the field of networked learning really is. Based on the findings and methods used in the articles in this issue, we articulate some recommendations for further research. The recommendations are focused on the need for advanced multi-level analysis to understand the complexity of learning ties, the need for employing a multi-method research approach to triangulate and contextualize findings, the need to conduct process and time-based analysis and finally the need to further develop a theory and toolkit for applying Social Network Analysis in the context of networked learning.

This qualitative and descriptive study examines the evolution of secondary preservice teachers' views on teaching and learning mathematics and science in historical and cultural contexts. Data were collected throughout participants' enrollment in a semester-long course entitled, Perspectives on Science and Mathematics, which is taken in conjunction with student teaching. Data sources included university classroom observations and field notes as well as preservice teachers' verbal and written responses to class discussions, reading assignments, and course activities. Common themes and categories of response were derived from the triangulation of data to include prospective teachers' critical reflections on teaching and learning. The paper ends with a discussion of findings and concluding remarks. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583608.]

This qualitative and descriptive study examines the evolution of secondary preservice teachers' views on teaching and learning mathematics and science in historical and cultural contexts. Data were collected throughout participants' enrollment in a semester-long course entitled, Perspectives on Science and Mathematics, which is taken in conjunction with student teaching. Data sources included university classroom observations and field notes as well as preservice teachers' verbal and written responses to class discussions, reading assignments, and course activities. Common themes and categories of response were derived from the triangulation of data to include prospective teachers' critical reflections on teaching and learning. The paper ends with a discussion of findings and concluding remarks. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583608.]

This qualitative and descriptive study examines the evolution of secondary preservice teachers' views on teaching and learning mathematics and science in historical and cultural contexts. Data were collected throughout participants' enrollment in a semester-long course entitled, Perspectives on Science and Mathematics, which is taken in conjunction with student teaching. Data sources included university classroom observations and field notes as well as preservice teachers' verbal and written responses to class discussions, reading assignments, and course activities. Common themes and categories of response were derived from the triangulation of data to include prospective teachers' critical reflections on teaching and learning. The paper ends with a discussion of findings and concluding remarks. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583608.]

This qualitative and descriptive study examines the evolution of secondary preservice teachers' views on teaching and learning mathematics and science in historical and cultural contexts. Data were collected throughout participants' enrollment in a semester-long course entitled, Perspectives on Science and Mathematics, which is taken in conjunction with student teaching. Data sources included university classroom observations and field notes as well as preservice teachers' verbal and written responses to class discussions, reading assignments, and course activities. Common themes and categories of response were derived from the triangulation of data to include prospective teachers' critical reflections on teaching and learning. The paper ends with a discussion of findings and concluding remarks. [For the complete proceedings, see ED583608.]

This study explored the perspectives of teachers and parents on the necessity of standardized Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for special education students in Cebu City's public schools. The participants consisted of 15 teachers and 15 parents of learners with special needs, selected through purposive sampling. A qualitative research design using semi-structured interviews was employed to explore teachers' and parents' perspectives on the effectiveness and importance of individualized education plans (IEPs) on student learning outcomes for special education learners in public schools. The findings showed that teachers and parents acknowledge the importance of standardized IEPs in promoting consistency and equity of SPED services. However, challenges such as limited training, resource shortages, and communication barriers hinder effective implementation. Furthermore, while there is a shared recognition of the value of standardized IEPs, substantial challenges remain in their practical application. Teachers often feel unprepared due to inadequate training and support from administration, while parents express frustration over their lack of involvement and understanding of the IEP process. It is concluded that addressing these issues through policy reforms, regular training for educators, and initiatives to engage parents more effectively is essential for fostering an inclusive educational environment. Finally, it is recommended that the output of the study be adopted.

This study explored the perspectives of teachers and parents on the necessity of standardized Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for special education students in Cebu City's public schools. The participants consisted of 15 teachers and 15 parents of learners with special needs, selected through purposive sampling. A qualitative research design using semi-structured interviews was employed to explore teachers' and parents' perspectives on the effectiveness and importance of individualized education plans (IEPs) on student learning outcomes for special education learners in public schools. The findings showed that teachers and parents acknowledge the importance of standardized IEPs in promoting consistency and equity of SPED services. However, challenges such as limited training, resource shortages, and communication barriers hinder effective implementation. Furthermore, while there is a shared recognition of the value of standardized IEPs, substantial challenges remain in their practical application. Teachers often feel unprepared due to inadequate training and support from administration, while parents express frustration over their lack of involvement and understanding of the IEP process. It is concluded that addressing these issues through policy reforms, regular training for educators, and initiatives to engage parents more effectively is essential for fostering an inclusive educational environment. Finally, it is recommended that the output of the study be adopted.

This study explored the perspectives of teachers and parents on the necessity of standardized Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for special education students in Cebu City's public schools. The participants consisted of 15 teachers and 15 parents of learners with special needs, selected through purposive sampling. A qualitative research design using semi-structured interviews was employed to explore teachers' and parents' perspectives on the effectiveness and importance of individualized education plans (IEPs) on student learning outcomes for special education learners in public schools. The findings showed that teachers and parents acknowledge the importance of standardized IEPs in promoting consistency and equity of SPED services. However, challenges such as limited training, resource shortages, and communication barriers hinder effective implementation. Furthermore, while there is a shared recognition of the value of standardized IEPs, substantial challenges remain in their practical application. Teachers often feel unprepared due to inadequate training and support from administration, while parents express frustration over their lack of involvement and understanding of the IEP process. It is concluded that addressing these issues through policy reforms, regular training for educators, and initiatives to engage parents more effectively is essential for fostering an inclusive educational environment. Finally, it is recommended that the output of the study be adopted.

This study explored the perspectives of teachers and parents on the necessity of standardized Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for special education students in Cebu City's public schools. The participants consisted of 15 teachers and 15 parents of learners with special needs, selected through purposive sampling. A qualitative research design using semi-structured interviews was employed to explore teachers' and parents' perspectives on the effectiveness and importance of individualized education plans (IEPs) on student learning outcomes for special education learners in public schools. The findings showed that teachers and parents acknowledge the importance of standardized IEPs in promoting consistency and equity of SPED services. However, challenges such as limited training, resource shortages, and communication barriers hinder effective implementation. Furthermore, while there is a shared recognition of the value of standardized IEPs, substantial challenges remain in their practical application. Teachers often feel unprepared due to inadequate training and support from administration, while parents express frustration over their lack of involvement and understanding of the IEP process. It is concluded that addressing these issues through policy reforms, regular training for educators, and initiatives to engage parents more effectively is essential for fostering an inclusive educational environment. Finally, it is recommended that the output of the study be adopted.

This study explored the perspectives of teachers and parents on the necessity of standardized Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for special education students in Cebu City's public schools. The participants consisted of 15 teachers and 15 parents of learners with special needs, selected through purposive sampling. A qualitative research design using semi-structured interviews was employed to explore teachers' and parents' perspectives on the effectiveness and importance of individualized education plans (IEPs) on student learning outcomes for special education learners in public schools. The findings showed that teachers and parents acknowledge the importance of standardized IEPs in promoting consistency and equity of SPED services. However, challenges such as limited training, resource shortages, and communication barriers hinder effective implementation. Furthermore, while there is a shared recognition of the value of standardized IEPs, substantial challenges remain in their practical application. Teachers often feel unprepared due to inadequate training and support from administration, while parents express frustration over their lack of involvement and understanding of the IEP process. It is concluded that addressing these issues through policy reforms, regular training for educators, and initiatives to engage parents more effectively is essential for fostering an inclusive educational environment. Finally, it is recommended that the output of the study be adopted.

In January 1999, an interdisciplinary seminar of doctoral students from cognitive, educational and computational sciences was organized to study theoretical texts that might provide insight into how to support collaborative learning with perspectives-based software. The seminar uses a Web-based tool called WEBGUIDE to mediate and structure collaborative learning, including reflection on use of the software. This software uses an innovation mechanism to define a flexible system of perspectives on a shared knowledge construction space. WEBGUIDE provides an electronic and persistent workspace for individuals and teams to develop and share distinctive points of view on a topic. The software and associated usage practices are being designed by testing it in a middle school classroom and in an advanced graduate seminar. The experience in these usage situations has raised a range of questions concerning theoretical and practical issues, which are driving the research. This paper is a reflection on what the designers are learning collaboratively about how software artifacts can mediate learning and shared cognition. Contains 36 references. (AEF)

This article seeks to examine e-learning design arising from two educational traditions: the United States of America and Europe. The research question is: Broadly, what kinds of pedagogy, instructional design models, or didactical models are established and proposed for e-learning design on the two continents? Two researchers examined multiple articles and texts in an effort to discern the prominent approaches in their respective regions. The analysis is tripartite: First, the educational philosophies, which have guided e-learning design on each continent, will be presented; second, specific theories about learning influencing e-learning design will be discussed; and finally, e-learning design, which arises from innovative instructional strategies, will be investigated. The resulting analysis brings to the surface not only how the values that underpin e-learning development in each region differ but also how specific perspectives influence the respective fields. The researchers acknowledge these differences but also remark on the historic and contemporary symbiosis that has endured even in this relatively new field of e-learning.

This monograph presents what illiterate and formerly illiterate adults have said regarding what it is like to be unable to read in a world that presumes everyone is literate, and of experiences they have had while acquiring the ability to read and write. In later chapters the authors, who were involved in the Vermont Adult Basic Education (ABE) program, address issues that learners find more difficult to deal with. Chapter 1 provides adult learners' views of what it is (and is not) like to be illiterate. Topics considered include mythologies of literacy, realities of the mythology, realities of illiteracy, coping with illiteracy, and realities of literacy. Chapter 2 concerns what it is like to decide to become literate. Both constraining forces and facilitating factors are discussed. Chapter 3 focuses on what the process of becoming literate is like, who can support this process, and how. It addresses the necessary unlearning and relearning and what is learned. Chapter 4 then describes how the Vermont Adult Basic Education Program integrated home-based tutorial instruction with more traditional methods of delivering adult basic education. (YLB)

This monograph presents what illiterate and formerly illiterate adults have said regarding what it is like to be unable to read in a world that presumes everyone is literate, and of experiences they have had while acquiring the ability to read and write. In later chapters the authors, who were involved in the Vermont Adult Basic Education (ABE) program, address issues that learners find more difficult to deal with. Chapter 1 provides adult learners' views of what it is (and is not) like to be illiterate. Topics considered include mythologies of literacy, realities of the mythology, realities of illiteracy, coping with illiteracy, and realities of literacy. Chapter 2 concerns what it is like to decide to become literate. Both constraining forces and facilitating factors are discussed. Chapter 3 focuses on what the process of becoming literate is like, who can support this process, and how. It addresses the necessary unlearning and relearning and what is learned. Chapter 4 then describes how the Vermont Adult Basic Education Program integrated home-based tutorial instruction with more traditional methods of delivering adult basic education. (YLB)

This paper looks at issues subsumed by the phrase "learning to teach" that have implications for the design and conduct of teacher education. The first section lays out a temporal perspective by examining the times and places of learning to teach. The second section brings together disparate strands of research on the learners of teaching, looking at who prospective teachers are, orientations to learning, experience with diversity, and prospective teachers' beliefs about teaching and learning, subject matter, students, and preservice and beginning teachers. The third section examines different ways people have conceptualized the content of learning to teach, including domains of professional knowledge, the tasks of teaching, professional standards, and lessons for teacher educators. The fourth section discusses processes and opportunities in learning to teach. By presenting ideas about the when/where, who, what and how of learning to teach, the study hopes to raise teacher educators' consciousness about a neglected part of the conceptual and practical foundations of their work. (Contains 107 references.) (Author/ND)

The author reports on recent efforts by community college faculty to make the teaching and learning from their classrooms more visible. Spurred on by numerous reports that point to the urgency around basic skills education, faculty members at California community colleges are working together to improve teaching of basic skills, using a variety of methods. The author particularly notes the variety of applications for multimedia websites: (1) as archives of teaching and research materials; (2) as hands-on resources for teachers who can download materials and study their implementation in an actual classroom; and (3) as tools for professional development. This kind of documentation and exchange leads to discussion, research, experimentation, data collection and further inquiry, processes that can be recorded and shared. The more visible teaching becomes, and the more durable its best practices, the better for both students and instructors.

The author reports on recent efforts by community college faculty to make the teaching and learning from their classrooms more visible. Spurred on by numerous reports that point to the urgency around basic skills education, faculty members at California community colleges are working together to improve teaching of basic skills, using a variety of methods. The author particularly notes the variety of applications for multimedia websites: (1) as archives of teaching and research materials; (2) as hands-on resources for teachers who can download materials and study their implementation in an actual classroom; and (3) as tools for professional development. This kind of documentation and exchange leads to discussion, research, experimentation, data collection and further inquiry, processes that can be recorded and shared. The more visible teaching becomes, and the more durable its best practices, the better for both students and instructors.

The author reports on recent efforts by community college faculty to make the teaching and learning from their classrooms more visible. Spurred on by numerous reports that point to the urgency around basic skills education, faculty members at California community colleges are working together to improve teaching of basic skills, using a variety of methods. The author particularly notes the variety of applications for multimedia websites: (1) as archives of teaching and research materials; (2) as hands-on resources for teachers who can download materials and study their implementation in an actual classroom; and (3) as tools for professional development. This kind of documentation and exchange leads to discussion, research, experimentation, data collection and further inquiry, processes that can be recorded and shared. The more visible teaching becomes, and the more durable its best practices, the better for both students and instructors.

The author reports on recent efforts by community college faculty to make the teaching and learning from their classrooms more visible. Spurred on by numerous reports that point to the urgency around basic skills education, faculty members at California community colleges are working together to improve teaching of basic skills, using a variety of methods. The author particularly notes the variety of applications for multimedia websites: (1) as archives of teaching and research materials; (2) as hands-on resources for teachers who can download materials and study their implementation in an actual classroom; and (3) as tools for professional development. This kind of documentation and exchange leads to discussion, research, experimentation, data collection and further inquiry, processes that can be recorded and shared. The more visible teaching becomes, and the more durable its best practices, the better for both students and instructors.

The purpose of this cross-sectional phenomenological study is to explore and understand the impact that the use of technology and social media at home has on preschoolers, and how such technology outside the classroom influences their reactions and attitudes to traditional materials. This study explored the perspectives of five preschool teachers, who are the ones who have observed and lived this phenomenon in preschool classrooms, generation after generation. The instruments used for data collection were questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. After conducting a thematic analysis, the results suggest that digital resources and materials obtained more positive responses due to their engaging and interactive nature, whereas traditional materials were often met with boredom or disinterest by preschoolers.

The purpose of this cross-sectional phenomenological study is to explore and understand the impact that the use of technology and social media at home has on preschoolers, and how such technology outside the classroom influences their reactions and attitudes to traditional materials. This study explored the perspectives of five preschool teachers, who are the ones who have observed and lived this phenomenon in preschool classrooms, generation after generation. The instruments used for data collection were questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. After conducting a thematic analysis, the results suggest that digital resources and materials obtained more positive responses due to their engaging and interactive nature, whereas traditional materials were often met with boredom or disinterest by preschoolers.

This study encompassed four different projects implemented in one urban College of Education. Projects included discussions in the faculty diversity self-study group, teaching and learning about culturally responsive pedagogy in an early childhood methods class, the use of fieldwork as a site for student learning about educational change, and teaching and learning about critical literacy in professional development sessions conducted at an elementary school. Following the descriptions of individual projects, joint analysis of these projects is offered by using lenses from a four-dimensional critical perspective (Lewison, Flint, & Van Sluys, 2002; Van Sluys, Lewison, & Flint, 2006).

This study encompassed four different projects implemented in one urban College of Education. Projects included discussions in the faculty diversity self-study group, teaching and learning about culturally responsive pedagogy in an early childhood methods class, the use of fieldwork as a site for student learning about educational change, and teaching and learning about critical literacy in professional development sessions conducted at an elementary school. Following the descriptions of individual projects, joint analysis of these projects is offered by using lenses from a four-dimensional critical perspective (Lewison, Flint, & Van Sluys, 2002; Van Sluys, Lewison, & Flint, 2006).

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift to online education, significantly impacting students and teachers in Guwahati, Assam. This study examines the perceptions of both groups regarding online teaching-learning, focusing on its effectiveness, challenges, and opportunities. A survey of 200 students and 70 teachers revealed mixed responses. While students appreciated the flexibility and digital literacy improvements, they faced infrastructure limitations (60% reported poor internet access) and engagement issues (55% struggled with distractions). Teachers found online teaching challenging, with 65% experiencing difficulties in using digital tools and 70% struggling to maintain student engagement. Key challenges included internet connectivity issues, lack of proper training, and reduced student interaction. The study highlights the necessity of a structured hybrid education model integrating online and offline learning for a balanced approach. Improved infrastructure, teacher training, and student support programs are essential for enhancing the effectiveness of digital education.

A continuing longitudinal study examined students' perceptions of their learning and motivation in a whole language classroom setting. Subjects, 14 fifth- or sixth-grade students who collaborated in the inquiry as co-researchers, were interviewed in depth. The mixed fifth- and sixth-grade classroom at the "Willow School" in southern California represented the school's diversity. Students were actively engaged in an integrated, thematic, "real world" curriculum. The classroom buzzed with readers and writers who shared the teacher's contagious sense of excitement about learning. In using literacy activities for self-expression, students experienced a direct connection between their learning activities and who they are, how they think, and what they care about. The richness of experience promoted by the curriculum nurtured students' thinking and feeling, moving them to express themselves and to be engaged in the literacy process. Students said that having choice was one of the main reasons they felt so motivated to learn. The students appreciated the teacher's enthusiasm, humor, and fun-loving presence. Findings suggest questions and answers for teachers to use in considering how their classrooms might honor students' voices more fully. This classroom provides one model of how teachers can share control and responsibility with their students. (Contains 22 references.) (RS)

The implementation of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) has provided tremendous opportunities for language teachers to promote their computer literacy and adopt a learner-centered approach to teaching. Accordingly, with the rising advent of language learning technologies, language teachers would occupy a fundamental role in preparing and encouraging students to use various technologies for language learning purposes. In particular, the purpose of this study is to explore the attitudes of Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers toward the implementation of mobile-assisted language learning (MALL). The survey target participants were 168 EFL teachers who worked in a number of language teaching institutions in Iran. In-depth interviews with 55 EFL teachers were conducted as well. The findings from the survey and interview studies indicated moderately positive attitudes of the participants toward the use of mobile phones for language learning and teaching. The findings suggest that the presence of a couple of perceived challenges might be the reason for the nonuse of mobile phones for EFL learning and teaching in Iran. The teachers reported that they do not use any kind of MALL activities or software programs in their EFL courses. Results demonstrated that the EFL teachers did not have the required skills to use/develop Mall activities. The paper proposes recommendations and suggestions on how to implement MALL and remove potential barriers to MALL implementation in EFL contexts.

The implementation of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) has provided tremendous opportunities for language teachers to promote their computer literacy and adopt a learner-centered approach to teaching. Accordingly, with the rising advent of language learning technologies, language teachers would occupy a fundamental role in preparing and encouraging students to use various technologies for language learning purposes. In particular, the purpose of this study is to explore the attitudes of Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers toward the implementation of mobile-assisted language learning (MALL). The survey target participants were 168 EFL teachers who worked in a number of language teaching institutions in Iran. In-depth interviews with 55 EFL teachers were conducted as well. The findings from the survey and interview studies indicated moderately positive attitudes of the participants toward the use of mobile phones for language learning and teaching. The findings suggest that the presence of a couple of perceived challenges might be the reason for the nonuse of mobile phones for EFL learning and teaching in Iran. The teachers reported that they do not use any kind of MALL activities or software programs in their EFL courses. Results demonstrated that the EFL teachers did not have the required skills to use/develop Mall activities. The paper proposes recommendations and suggestions on how to implement MALL and remove potential barriers to MALL implementation in EFL contexts.