2,916 results
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52. Validation of a Paper-and-Pencil Test Instrument Measuring Biology Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge by Using Think-Aloud
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Jüttner, Melanie and Neuhaus, Birgit Jana
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The topic of "teacher professionalism" is one of the most crucial ones in quality education research. It has a potential to generate results that could inform and hence enhance the practice in classrooms. Thus, research in this field needs reliable instruments to measure the professional knowledge of our teachers to be able to generate reliable results for our research problems. Not many instruments have been developed with regard to this topic. At the same time, an adequate validation of the instrument developed is often missing (Schilling & Hill, 2007). Hence, in a bigger project "ProwiN" (German acronym for professional knowledge of science teachers), test instruments for measuring science teachers' pedagogical, pedagogical content and content knowledge (PK, PCK, and CK) were developed for the subjects biology, chemistry and physics. The present study tested the validity of some of these items which were used to measure the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of biology teachers. These items focused on measuring teachers' professional knowledge by analyzing 1) teachers' "knowledge about student understanding" (or lack of understanding) of several topics in biology and 2) "knowledge about instructional strategies" like the use of models or experiments. The content validity of these instruments was examined by think-aloud interviews with American and German Biology teachers (N = 11). This study shows a high content validity for these items. Furthermore, this paper demonstrates the scope for adapting the conceptual framework of these items to measure biology teachers' PCK in other countries.
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- 2013
53. Navigating Difficult Waters: Learning for Career and Labour Market Transitions. Research Paper No 42
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Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
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This report analyses how learning supports labour market transitions and career changes of adult workers across five countries (Denmark, Germany, Spain, France and Italy). To make the most of career and labour market opportunities, individuals have to rely on their own resources and their agency but also know how to navigate the institutional context. To make successful labour market transitions, individuals need to have a sense of direction, they need to learn about opportunities, and they need to learn skills. Education and training has a special role in supporting adult workers in their careers, providing them with the competences, qualifications and, in some cases, with the self-confidence needed for successful transition. Guidance services tailored to individual needs can help individuals find appropriate career trajectories in their search for suitable job opportunities, and can foster relational, emotional, cognitive and practical learning. [This report is the result of a team effort. Cedefop is grateful to Alan Brown, Jenny Bimrose and Barbara Merrill from the University of Warwick (Institute for Employment Research and Centre for Lifelong Learning) for coordinating the research teams and contributing to and editing project reports. The interviews were carried out and the country reports prepared by country teams: Massimo Tomassini from the Faculty of Education Science, University of Roma Tre and Silvia Zanazzi from the Faculty of Education Science, University of Roma La Sapienza (Italy); Rie Thomsen, Ida Juul and Pia Cort from Aarhus University (Denmark); Esther Oliver and Lena de Botton from the University of Barcelona and Itxaso Tellado from University of Vic (Spain); M'Hamed Dif from the University of Strasbourg (BETA-Céreq Alsace), Rachel Mulvey from the University of East London and Sophie Perdrix from the University of Lausanne (France); as well as Simone Haasler and Barbara Rinken from the University of Bremen (Germany). Cedefop experts Antje Barabasch and Giovanni Russo coordinated the study, under the supervision of the Head of Area Pascaline Descy, with a valuable contribution from Pedro Moreno Da Fonseca who reviewed this publication. The work was carried out under Cedefop's service contract No AO/RPA/GRUSSO-ABARA/Narrative learning transitions/015/11.]
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- 2014
54. Macroeconomic Benefits of Vocational Education and Training. Research Paper No 40
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Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
- Abstract
Improvements in workforce skills are essential for European countries to attain higher economic growth and to compete effectively on product markets. Literature indicates a positive relationship between levels of education and productivity growth. This report builds on and expands this body of research in two ways: (1) It investigates the differential impact of various skill types--higher (academic), upper-intermediate vocational, lower-intermediate vocational, lower-intermediate general, and low--on labour productivity; and (2) It accounts for the stock of uncertified skills (i.e. those built through training). The analysis is carried out in six European Union Member States--Denmark, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom--representing different modes of vocational education and training (VET) and those for which data were available. The analysis suggests that general and vocational skills complement each other and that the effect of certified skills on productivity is stronger when certified skills are reinforced by training. This study underlines that learning in the workplace, both in initial and continuing VET, makes a fundamental contribution to productivity, and comes to support policy efforts to develop apprenticeship and adult learning. The following annex is included: (1) Overview of research methods used in the study. [This publication is the result of a team effort reflecting the work of a research consortium of Geoff Mason, Dawn Holland, Iana Liadze, Rebecca Riley, Ana Rincon-Aznar, and Mary O'Mahony, and their aids Tatiana Fic, Rachel Whitworth, Yasheng Maimaiti, and Fei Peng. This work was carried out under contract number 2009-0216/AO/RPA/GUTCHPDE/VET-Macroeconomic-benefits/010/0.]
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- 2014
55. The Value of Smarter Teachers: International Evidence on Teacher Cognitive Skills and Student Performance. Program on Education Policy and Governance Working Papers Series. PEPG 14-06
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Harvard University, Program on Education Policy and Governance, Hanushek, Eric A., Piopiunik, Marc, and Wiederhold, Simon
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Differences in teacher quality are commonly cited as a key determinant of the huge international student performance gaps. However, convincing evidence on this relationship is still lacking, in part because it is unclear how to measure teacher quality consistently across countries. We use unique international assessment data to investigate the role of teacher cognitive skills as one main dimension of teacher quality in explaining student outcomes. Our main identification strategy exploits exogenous variation in teacher cognitive skills attributable to international differences in relative wages of nonteacher public sector employees. Using student-level test score data, we find that teacher cognitive skills are an important determinant of international differences in student performance. Results are supported by fixed-effects estimation that uses within-country between-subject variation in teacher skills.
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- 2014
56. The Evolution of Gender Gaps in Numeracy and Literacy between Childhood and Adulthood. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 184
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France), Borgonovi, Francesca, Choi, Álvaro, and Paccagnella, Marco
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Numeracy and literacy skills have become increasingly important in modern labour markets. The large gender differences that several studies have identified have therefore sparked considerable attention among researchers and policy makers. Little is known about the moment in which such gaps emerge, how they evolve and if their evolution differs across countries. We use data from large-scale international assessments to follow representative samples of birth-cohorts over time, and analyse how gender gaps in numeracy and literacy evolve from age 10 to age 27. Our results suggest that, across the countries examined, males' advantage in numeracy is smallest at age 10 and largest at age 27. The growth in magnitude of the gender gap is particularly pronounced between the age of 15 and 27. Such evolution stands in sharp contrast with the evolution of the gender gap in literacy, which is small at age 10, large and in favour of females at age 15, and negligible by age 27.
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- 2018
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57. Education Systems, Education Reforms, and Adult Skills in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). OECD Education Working Papers, No. 182
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France) and Liu, Huacong
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This study uses the PIAAC data to examine the relationships between education system characteristics (e.g. early tracking and vocational education orientation) and distributions of adult numeracy skills. It also investigates the effects of postponing the tracking age and easing university access for students on a vocational track on the average skills and different percentiles of the skills distribution. Correlational analysis suggests that education systems with more students enrolled in vocational tracks have on average higher levels of numeracy skills and more compressed skills distributions between the 50th and 90th percentiles. Further analysis suggests that postponing the tracking age among 14 European countries does not have a significant effect on the average skills of the population. However, it increases skills for individuals at the 10th, 20th, and 30th percentiles of the skill distribution. Expanding university access is associated with an increase in numeracy skills, particularly for individuals at the bottom three deciles of the distribution.
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- 2018
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58. Can We Close Gaps in Literacy by Social Background over the Life Course? Evidence from Synthetic 1950-1980 Birth Cohorts. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 178
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France) and Chmielewski, Anna K.
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It is well-known that there are large disparities in academic achievement between children of different socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds. This study examines the evolution of disparities in literacy skills between adults of different SES backgrounds. It compares countries' patterns in the evolution of disparities in literacy by SES background as cohorts age and asks which patterns of educational and labour force participation predict a narrowing rather than a widening of these disparities. Since there is no international longitudinal study of skills across the entire adult life span, this study uses three cross-sectional international adult studies (International Adult Literacy Survey, Adult Literacy and Lifeskills and Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies) and matches birth years to create synthetic cohorts. Results indicate that there is large cross-national variation in the evolution of skills disparities associated with SES background. Disparities in literacy proficiency tend to widen when SES disparities in high school completion, professional and blue-collar employment increase. Disparities narrow when workers exit the labour force, a finding that is explained by the large inequalities in the employment experiences of individuals from different SES backgrounds, measured by differences in use of literacy skills at work. These results help to explain cross-national variation in the evolution of skills disparities by SES background, which has implications for policies aimed at closing skills gaps over the life course. [Funding from the OECD Thomas J. Alexander Fellowship Programme.]
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- 2018
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59. Relevant Content for a Scientific Collaboration in Mathematics and Physics Education Research -- A Comparative Content Analysis of Handbooks and Conference Proceedings in Germany and Vietnam
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Krause, Eduard, Dilling, Frederik, Kraus, Simon Friedrich, Chi, Nguyen Phuong, Chat, Tran Ngoc, and Van Bien, Nguyen
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This article presents a possible framework for the cooperation of mathematics and physics education research domains. Moreover, the potential topics for such a scientific collaboration are explained by means of a structuring qualitative content analysis of current handbooks and conference proceedings in Germany and Vietnam. These topics can form a basis for further projects on the connection of subject-related didactics. One of these projects is an interdisciplinary course in teacher training at the Hanoi National University of Education (HNUE) as part of the Inter TeTra project between the HNUE and the University of Siegen.
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- 2020
60. Renewing VET Provision: Understanding Feedback Mechanisms between Initial VET and the Labour Market. Research Paper No 37
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Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
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A strong VET system is increasingly seen as essential to overcoming the current economic crisis in Europe. VET is seen as a powerful tool to assist in balancing labour market inefficiencies, increasing youth employment possibilities, and reducing skills mismatch. Its inherent flexibility and closeness to the labour market place VET in a good position to contribute to a faster economic recovery and long-term sustainable development. However, crucial for this role is continuous and systematic VET renewal that assures its relevance for the labour market. This publication explores 15 European national approaches to feedback mechanisms between VET and the labour market. It illustrates the diversity of solutions currently applied across Europe and how they are embedded in national traditions and education philosophy. The study asks three fundamental questions: how inclusive are national mechanisms for feedback between the VET system and the labour market; how responsive are existing mechanisms; and how transparent? Three annexes provide: (1) Case Studies; (2) List of interviewees; and (3) List of experts responsible for the country overviews. Bibliography and references are included. [This paper is the result of a team effort reflecting the work of a research consortium led by Jörg Markowitsch from 3s Research Laboratory who together with Tanja Bacher, Carol Costley, David Etherington, Gerhard Geiger, Günter Hefler, Jelena Helemäe, Triin Roosalu, Ellu Saar, Auni Tamm, and Odd Bjørn Ure conducted the research and fieldwork and drafted the report. This work was carried out under Cedefop's service contract No 2011-0161/AO/ECVL/JB-IPS/Cooperation Labour market--VET/007/11.]
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- 2013
61. Academic Resilience: What Schools and Countries Do to Help Disadvantaged Students Succeed in PISA. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 167
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France), Agasisti, Tommaso, Avvisati, Francesco, Borgonovi, Francesca, and Longobardi, Sergio
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Resilience refers to the capacity of individuals to prosper despite encountering adverse circumstances. This paper defines academic resilience as the ability of 15-year-old students from disadvantaged backgrounds to perform at a certain level in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) in reading, mathematics and science that enables them to play an active role in their communities and prepares them to make the most of lifelong-learning opportunities. Using data from the most recent PISA cycles, this paper explores changes in the share of resilient students over time (2006-2015); highlights the importance of school environments and resources in mitigating the risk of low achievement for disadvantaged students; and identifies school-level factors that are associated with the likelihood of academic resilience among socio-economically disadvantaged students. Analyses reveal that several countries were able to increase the share of resilient students over time, reflecting improvements in the average performance of students, or a weaker relationship between socio-economic status and performance. In the vast majority of education systems examined, the likelihood of academic resilience among disadvantaged students is lower in schools where students report a negative classroom climate. The paper concludes by exploring school policies and practices that are associated with a positive classroom climate. [This work was supported by a contribution to the PISA programme of work from Vodafone Germany Foundation.]
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- 2018
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62. A Tri-Nation Comparative Study of Place Value in Early Years Curricula Documents
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Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (MERGA), Westaway, Lise, Ladel, Silke, Vale, Pamela, Larkin, Kevin, Graven, Mellony, and Kortenkamp, Ulrich
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In this paper we compare the early years mathematics curricula of Germany, South Africa, and Australia in relation to the place value concept. Place value is an important topic as it underpins much of the number work completed by learners in the early years of schooling. We found that there were differences between the three curricula that could be summarised using five themes: namely, number range, place value structure, role of the zero, influence of language, and use of materials. We argue that how the different curricula deal with these five themes influences the quality of learning provided and we highlight key areas of concern. In concluding we identify three important implications for our future research project.
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- 2023
63. Augmented Reality in Education: An Overview of Research Trends
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F. Sehkar Fayda-Kinik
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Augmented reality (AR), a cutting-edge technology, has the potential to change the way students learn by superimposing virtual items and information onto the real environment. Through more immersive and interesting interactions with digital content, AR might help students better understand difficult concepts and boost their drive to learn. As a result of its contribution to student learning, AR has become increasingly appealing to educational researchers. This study aimed to descriptively explore the characteristics of AR studies in education and to qualitatively analyze the most influential ones indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) between 2000 and 2022. A scoping review was conducted to determine the sample of the AR studies in education based on the inclusion criteria. Accordingly, descriptive analyses were conducted to identify the characteristics of the AR studies in education between 2000 and 2022 in terms of publication year, country, affiliations, journals, funding agencies, and citation trends. Then, the research methodologies and implications were found among the most influential AR studies in education between 2000 and 2022 by synthesizing qualitatively. The overall results indicated that AR studies in education have been conducted since 2008, with an increasing number of studies over time. Based on the implications of the most influential studies identified in terms of citation numbers, it was detected that AR has the potential to enhance education and training by providing interactive and engaging environments, linking real-world contexts with digital resources, and promoting efficiency and effectiveness in learning. [This paper was published in: "EJER Congress 2023 International Eurasian Educational Research Congress Conference Proceedings," Ani Publishing, 2023, pp. 273-291.]
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- 2023
64. Characterization of Physical Computing Devices by Attributes from a Pedagogical Perspective
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Eric Schätz and Alke Martens
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Due the wideness of the term Physical Computing, there is a need for a better structure of this topic. This paper is about an approach of structuring this field by finding attributes of different physical computing devices which can be used in class. Those attributes are meant to enforce teachers as well as researchers to analyze different devices from a pedagogical perspective in order to use those devices in class and use their full educational potential. [For the full proceedings, see ED636095.]
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- 2023
65. Teaching Reflective Use of Technology: A Piloted Workbook Based on Evacuations
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André Greubel, Julia Wenkmann, Hans-Stefan Siller, and Martin Hennecke
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Applying computing technology during problem solving and the reflection of the appropriateness of this application are crucial skills for modern life. This is especially true while working on interdisciplinary STEM problems. However, up to now, few ready-to-use materials are available to foster such competencies. This paper starts bridging this gap by presenting a workbook for students in higher secondary education (around age 15). The workbook focuses on a complex STEM problem, primarily rooted in mathematics, computing, and technology education: Estimating the time it takes to evacuate a building. In the workbook, students work through five exercises focused on the problem of trying to make a sports hall safer. For three potential changes to the building, they should evaluate whether it increases the safety of the sports hall and whether the measure can reasonably be evaluated with a given simulation. During their work, students become aware of arguments useful for such an critical evaluation. For example, a change can only be evaluated if its magnitude is greater than variation in the (randomized) fleeing algorithm of the software. After development of the workbook, we used a design-based research approach to improve its quality. To do so, we asked eight educators for feedback and piloted it with 20 students from two mathematics classes of different capabilities. The results show that students had fun while working on the exercises and both the students and their tutors evaluated the workbook to be educationally relevant. Several issues, most importantly regarding the wording of several exercises, were identified and improved. Multiple exercises were further sub-divided to better suit learners of the age targeted. [For the full proceedings, see ED636095.]
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- 2023
66. Potential of Adaptive E-Learning for Knowledge Heterogenous Groups of Students in Engineering Design Education
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Frederike Kossack, Eike Uttich, and Beate Bender
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In Engineering Design education, huge numbers of students are a challenge in university teaching, especially since the students have an initially heterogeneous level of technical knowledge, which influences their acquisition of competences. In frontal classroom lectures, individual deficits can hardly be addressed and in self-study phases, students find it difficult to remedy these independently. Therefore, students with prior technical experience achieve better final module grades. This paper examines the extent to which heterogeneity in prior experience can be compensated by using an adaptive e-learning environment for the self-study time. For this purpose, students are provided with a prototypical implementation of an adaptive e-learning environment for the self-learning phase. The feedback of the users and their examination results are statistically evaluated with respect to the gain of knowledge. [For the full proceedings, see ED636095.]
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- 2023
67. Too Young for Respect? Realising Respect for Young Children in Their Everyday Environments: A Cross-Cultural Analysis. Working Papers in Early Childhood Development, No. 54
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Bernard Van Leer Foundation (Netherlands) and George, Shanti
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This paper explores the conceptual underpinnings of the routine disrespect shown to young children in everyday life in cultures around the world. General Comment 7 of the Committee on the Rights of the Child urges that the youngest children should be respected as persons in their own right, within an environment of reliable and affectionate relationships based on respect and understanding. This paper examines two case studies, from Germany and Israel, to show what such environments look like on the ground. A bibliography is included. (Contains 6 footnotes.)
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- 2009
68. Science Teachers' Satisfaction: Evidence from the PISA 2015 Teacher Survey. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 168
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France), Mostafa, Tarek, and Pál, Judit
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In 2015, for the first time in its history, PISA (the Programme for International Student Assessment) asked teachers to describe the various aspects of their working environment and teaching practices. This paper examines how teacher, student, and school characteristics are related to science teachers' satisfaction in 19 PISA-participating countries and economies. The findings show that the most satisfied science teachers tend to be those who are initially motivated to become teachers. The results also highlight the positive relationship between science teachers' satisfaction and teacher collaboration, good disciplinary climate in science classes, availability of school resources, and the opportunity to participate in professional-development activities.
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- 2018
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69. Motivation and Reading in High-Immersion Virtual Reality
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Kaplan-Rakowski, Regina and Gruber, Alice
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Many language learners lack the motivation to read complex texts. Because high-immersion Virtual Reality (VR) is increasingly reported to be highly motivating, the goal of our study was to compare English as a Second Language (ESL) learners' (N=79) motivation while reading a story with subtitles in VR (experimental group) versus reading the same story screencast in two-dimensions (2D -- control group). The Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed that learners' motivation in VR was significantly higher compared with the control group. Our finding confirmed that VR is highly motivational in the context of reading foreign texts and can be useful for Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) researchers, practitioners, and instructional designers. This analysis is a part of a larger study (Kaplan-Rakowski & Gruber, 2023) on VR facilitating reading tasks. [For the complete volume, "Intelligent CALL, Granular Systems and Learner Data: Short Papers from EUROCALL 2022 (30th, Reykjavik, Iceland, August 17-19, 2022)," see ED624779.]
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- 2022
70. Automatic Exercise Generation to Support Macro-Adaptivity in Intelligent Language Tutoring Systems
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Heck, Tanja, Meurers, Detmar, and Nuxoll, Florian
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Foreign language teaching achieves best learning outcomes when individual differences of learners are taken into account. While it is difficult for teachers to support internal differentiation in the classroom, digital tools can adaptively propose individual learning paths through activities so that students can practice with appropriately challenging exercises. But how can sufficiently varied, systematically parametrized exercises be provided to enable a system to match them to individual learner needs? We present an approach for high-variability exercise generation that transforms a single specification into a multitude of exercises varying in complexity. The approach is currently being evaluated in a randomized controlled study in regular German seventh grade English classes, facilitating a systematic empirical exploration of adaptive exercise complexity in relation to learning outcomes. [For the complete volume, "Intelligent CALL, Granular Systems and Learner Data: Short Papers from EUROCALL 2022 (30th, Reykjavik, Iceland, August 17-19, 2022)," see ED624779.]
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- 2022
71. Enhancing EFL Classroom Instruction via the FeedBook: Effects on Language Development and Communicative Language Use
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Pili-Moss, Diana, Schmidt, Torben, Blume, Carolyn, Middelanis, Lisa, and Meurers, Detmar
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The present exploratory study investigated the efficacy of secondary face-to-face classroom-based English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction digitally supported by the FeedBook, an interactive computer assisted language learning web-based suite of exercises providing item-level scaffolded feedback. Seventy-seven native (L1) German seventh-grade students used the FeedBook during four two-week training periods (cycles, here we analyse Cycle 2 and 3). Classroom and FeedBook practice occurred in parallel, except for grammar constructions for which only FeedBook practice was provided (controls). At the end of Cycle 3, students engaged in a classroom-based communicative task for which the practised constructions were relevant. Custom-designed pre- and post-tests, administered via the FeedBook, assessed language accuracy in each cycle. Mixed-effect models revealed significant pre-/post-test accuracy gains independent of the learners' proficiency in English, but not in controls. Gains from digitally supported instruction were also positively related to accurate use of EFL grammar constructions in the communicative task. Overall, the results indicate learning benefits for face-to-face classroom-based instruction supported by the FeedBook, evidenced both in grammar tests and in communicative activities. [For the complete volume, "Intelligent CALL, Granular Systems and Learner Data: Short Papers from EUROCALL 2022 (30th, Reykjavik, Iceland, August 17-19, 2022)," see ED624779.]
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- 2022
72. Blended Mobility Project: Ireland, Germany, and Spain
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Carthy, Úna
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Within the parameters of the new Erasmus programme, this Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) combines virtual exchange with physical mobility. There were three institutions involved in this project: Letterkenny Institute of Technology, Ireland, Hochschule Bremerhaven, Germany, and Malaga Healthcare College, Spain. The virtual exchange ran for five weeks from November to December 2021 and the physical mobility took place in Bremerhaven in the first week of April 2022. Twenty-seven participating students from diverse academic backgrounds engaged in shared tasks during the virtual exchange on a Blackboard platform, hosted by Letterkenny Institute of Technology and were awarded two ECTS credits, which was embedded into their local curricula. Content was delivered using both synchronous and asynchronous tools. The topic was global citizenship and students collaborated in multicultural teams to create presentations on their chosen topics. In addition to this team work, they also shared their individual insights into the course content by posting to a discussion forum in Weeks 1, 3, and 4. [For the complete volume, "Intelligent CALL, Granular Systems and Learner Data: Short Papers from EUROCALL 2022 (30th, Reykjavik, Iceland, August 17-19, 2022)," see ED624779.]
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- 2022
73. Why Socrates Should Be in the Boardroom in Research Universities. Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.3.10
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University of California, Berkeley, Center for Studies in Higher Education and Goodall, Amanda H.
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There is an extensive literature on the productivity of universities. Little is known, however, about how different types of leaders affect a university's performance. To address this question, this paper blends quantitative and qualitative evidence. First, I establish that the best universities in the world are led by respected scholars. Next, by constructing a new longitudinal dataset, I show that the research quality of a university improves some years after it appoints a president (or vice chancellor) who is an accomplished researcher. To try to explain why scholar-leaders might improve the research performance of their institutions, I draw from interview data with twenty-six university heads in the United States and United Kingdom. These findings have policy implications for governments, universities, and a range of research and knowledge-intensive organizations. (Contains 7 figures and 27 footnotes.)
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- 2010
74. Obesity and Developmental Functioning among Children Aged 2-4 Years. National Poverty Center Working Paper Series #08-07
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National Poverty Center, Cawley, John, and Spiess, C. Katharina
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In developed countries, obesity tends to be associated with worse labor market outcomes. One possible reason is that obesity leads to less human capital formation early in life. This paper investigates the association between obesity and the developmental functioning of children at younger ages (2-4 years) than ever previously examined. Data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study are used to estimate models of developmental functioning in four critical areas (verbal skills, activities of daily living, motor skills, and social skills) as a function of various measures of weight (including BMI and obesity status) controlling for various child and family characteristics. The findings indicate that, among boys, obesity is a significant risk factor for lagged development in verbal skills, social skills, and activities of daily living. Among girls, weight generally does not have a statistically significant association with these developmental outcomes. Further investigations show that the correlations exist even for those preschool children who spend no time in day care, which implies that the correlation between obesity and developmental functioning cannot be due solely to discrimination by teachers, classmates, or day care providers. Full text (English translation) of the SOEP questions that were used to create the measures of developmental functioning used in this paper is appended. (Contains 4 tables and 1 footnote.)
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- 2008
75. Birthplace Diversity, Income Inequality and Education Gradients in Generalised Trust: The Relevance of Cognitive Skills in 29 Countries. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 164
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France), Borgonovi, Francesca, and Pokropek, Artur
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The paper examines between-country differences in the mechanisms through which education could promote generalised trust using data from 29 countries participating in the OECD's Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). Results indicate that education is strongly associated with generalised trust and that a large part of this association is mediated by individuals' literacy skills, income and occupational prestige. However, education gradients in levels of generalised trust and in the extent to which they are due to social stratification mechanisms or cognitive skills mechanisms vary across countries. Differences across countries in birthplace diversity and income inequality are correlated with how strongly education is associated with trust in different countries, as well as in the relative magnitude of direct and indirect associations. In particular, the relationship between literacy skills and generalised trust is stronger in the presence of greater birthplace diversity but is weaker in the presence of greater income inequality.
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- 2017
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76. Orienting Technical and Vocational Education and Training for Sustainable Development: A Discussion Paper. UNESCO-UNEVOC Discussion Paper Series. Volume 1
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This discussion paper presents an overview of key concepts, trends and issues in the field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for sustainable development. It examines interlinkages between the world of work and environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainable development, as well as ways in which TVET can be reoriented to advance the transition to a more sustainable future. This paper is the result of collective brainstorming and was prepared in consultation with a number of UNEVOC Centres, partner agencies and several leading researchers, policy-makers and practitioners working in the field of TVET. It reflects the outcomes of discussions that took place at the UNESCO International Experts Meeting "Learning for Work, Citizenship and Sustainability" (Bonn, Germany, 2004) on the threshold of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, for which UNESCO is the lead agency. This paper appears as the first volume in the Discussion Paper Series, which is part of the UNEVOC International Library of TVET--an extensive publications programme prepared by the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training. Annexes include: (1) The Bonn Declaration; and (2) Suggestions to UNESCO for action planning in TVET for sustainable development during the United Nations Decade of Education for sustainable development. (Contains 53 footnotes.) [For Volume 2 of the UNESCO-UNEVOC Discussion Paper Series, "The Development of a National System of Vocational Qualifications," see ED495379.]
- Published
- 2006
77. The Long-Run Effects of Sports Club Vouchers for Primary School Children. Working Paper 28819
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National Bureau of Economic Research, Marcus, Jan, Siedler, Thomas, and Ziebarth, Nicolas R.
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Starting in 2009, the German state of Saxony distributed sports club membership vouchers among all 33,000 third graders in the state. The policy's objective was to encourage them to develop a long-term habit of exercising. In 2018, we carried out a large register-based survey among several cohorts in Saxony and two neighboring states. Our difference-indifferences estimations show that, even after a decade, awareness of the voucher program was significantly higher in the treatment group. We also find that youth received and redeemed the vouchers. However, we do not find significant short- or long-term effects on sports club membership, physical activity, overweightness, or motor skills.
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- 2021
78. Association between Literacy and Self-Rated Poor Health in 33 High- and Upper-Middle-Income Countries. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 165
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France), Kakarmath, Sujay, Denis, Vanessa, Encinas-Martin, Marta, Borgonovi, Francesca, and Subramanian, S. V.
- Abstract
We assess the relationship between general literacy skills and health status by analysing data from the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), an international survey of about 250,000 adults aged 16-65 years conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) from 2011-15 in 33 countries/national sub-regions. Across countries, there seems to be a strong and consistent association between general literacy proficiency and self-rated poor health, independent of prior socio-economic status and income. General literacy proficiency also appears to be a mediator of the association between self-education and self-rated poor health. While the literacy-health association is robust over time, it varies in magnitude across countries. It is strongest for those with a tertiary or higher degree and does not appear to exist among young adults (ages 25 to 34 years). Future studies are required to understand the contextual factors that modify the general literacy proficiency-health association.
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- 2018
- Full Text
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79. Fostering Language Acquisition in Daycare Settings: What Does the Research Tell Us? Working Papers in Early Childhood Development, No. 49
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Bernard Van Leer Foundation (Netherlands) and Beller, Simone
- Abstract
The ways in which children learn a language--be it their mother tongue or their second language--can have a strong influence on their success in school. Researchers in linguistics and early child development have tried to determine the factors that can help and hinder language acquisition in young children, with some conflicting results. In this article, the author reviews the research and existing theories on language development, focusing on how pre-schoolers' social environment affects their ability to learn languages and their subsequent reading and writing skills. Because children from immigrant families and those with a low socio-economic status often have difficulty with language acquisition, this review looks in particular at language development initiatives for disadvantaged groups in daycare settings. Beginning with an overview of theories on language development, the author examines the sometimes-conflicting hypotheses that attempt to explain how children acquire their first language and how some become bilingual. Next, the role of the social environment is reviewed, beginning with the importance of verbal input for first language development, then looking at the complex phenomenon of second language acquisition. The author provides an overview of research on bilingualism and its various forms, focussing on children who learn a second language after they are already established in their mother tongue, as opposed to the less common cases of children who acquire two languages from birth. Looking in particular at research on migrant children, the paper explores the course and duration of second language acquisition, as well as the common linguistic behaviours that may arise. Conditions that influence children's adoption of a second language and culture are then examined, as well as similarities and differences between first and second language acquisition. Factors that influence the development of a second language such as age, motivation, interaction, educational style, socio-economic status, and experiences in daycare are discussed, and the impact of early language development on school success is examined. Finally, the author reviews several programmes aimed at fostering language development and literacy in infancy and early childhood in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany, and concludes with a discussion of the implications of the research, providing several recommendations for practice. A glossary is included. (Contains 24 footnotes.)
- Published
- 2008
80. Early Childhood Transitions Research: A Review of Concepts, Theory, and Practice. Working Papers in Early Childhood Development, No. 48
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Bernard Van Leer Foundation (Netherlands), Vogler, Pia, Crivello, Gina, and Woodhead, Martin
- Abstract
Children face many important changes in the first eight years of life, including different learning centres, social groups, roles and expectations. Their ability to adapt to such a dynamic and evolving environment directly affects their sense of identity and status within their community over the short and long term. In particular, the key turning points in children's lives--such as "graduating" from kindergarten to primary school or going through a culturally specific rite of passage--provide challenges and opportunities for learning and growth on multiple levels. This paper provides a review of the major perspectives in research on early childhood transitions and reveals the predominant areas of focus in both academic and professional studies, as well as important neglected viewpoints and study populations. Beginning with a broad and inclusive definition of the topic, the authors provide an overview of early childhood transitions research, highlighting the underlying assumptions that informed the studies. They assess concepts in the developmental theory that preceded transitions research as well as in the logic that determines how transitions are structured. More recent approaches are examined, including systems theories and the role of children as active participants in transitions. Several examples in this review show how multidisciplinary collaboration and culturally sensitive interventions can result in better participation of both parents and children in crucial early childhood transitions. Citing the need to harmonise early childhood education and care programmes with local education practices, the authors stress the value of greater transparency in the creation of policy and programming for children, in order to identify potentially limiting assumptions. Broadening and diversifying perspectives on transitions can lead to more integrated and culturally relevant rights-based early childhood programmes worldwide. A glossary and a bibliography are included. (Contains 7 footnotes.)
- Published
- 2008
81. Do Enclaves Matter in Immigrant Adjustment? Discussion Paper.
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Institute for the Study of Labor, Bonn (Germany)., Chiswick, Barry R., and Miller, Paul W.
- Abstract
This paper examines the determinants and consequences of immigrant/linguistic concentrations (enclaves), discussing reasons for the formation of those concentrations. It develops hypotheses regarding "ethnic goods" (market and non-market goods and services consumed by members of an immigrant/ethnic group that are not consumed by others), the effect of concentrations on immigrants' language skills, and the effect on immigrant earnings of destination language skills and linguistic concentration. These hypotheses are tested using the 1990 U.S. Census Public Use Microdata Sample data on adult male immigrants from non-English speaking countries. Results indicate that linguistic concentrations reduce immigrants' English language skills. Immigrants' annual earnings increase with proficiency in the destination language and with skill level (schooling, experience, and duration in the United States) and number of weeks worked. Annual earnings are higher among married men, men living in urban areas outside the south, men who are citizens, and men who are not black. Overall, the results suggest that enclaves impact immigrant adjustment. (Contains 17 references.) (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy Education) (SM)
- Published
- 2002
82. Family Policy in the US, Japan, Germany, Italy and France: Parental Leave, Child Benefits/Family Allowances, Child Care, Marriage/Cohabitation, and Divorce. A Briefing Paper Prepared by the Council on Contemporary Families.
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Henneck, Rachel
- Abstract
Within the last 50 years, the work-family-household arrangements upon which social policy systems in industrial nations were formulated have disappeared. This briefing paper examines how social policies of the United States, Japan, Germany, Italy, and France have responded. The paper is presented in two major sections. The first section describes family policies in each country concerning parental leave, child benefits/family allowances, child care, marriage/cohabitation, and divorce. The second section discusses the mixed effects of maternity leave on womens employment, the lack of a relationship between fertility and maternity leave and fertility and cash benefits, and factors that complicate the relationship between countries' social spending and child poverty. Job-protected maternity leave is described as the most basic entitlement reflecting public acknowledgment of the economic necessity of working motherhood. Analyses suggest that fertility rates do not seem responsive to cash benefits or other policies, such as extended maternity leave, that function as wages for motherhood. In countries where child care provisions are not widely available, lengthy paid leaves have the effect of bringing women into the home for long periods of time. The most important role of cash benefits is to reduce child poverty, as illustrated by patterns in the U.S., France, and Germany. The paper concludes by asserting that Western European nations family policy can be divided into two types, one in which the social welfare system provides a comprehensive array of universal family benefits and services, and the other in which benefits are nonuniversal and accompanied by higher child poverty rates. The United States fits neither of the European patterns and is characterized by several contradictions contributing to the lack of political support for families. (Contains 98 references.) (KB)
- Published
- 2003
83. Global English and German Today. Occasional Paper.
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Southampton Univ. (England). Centre for Language Education. and Harris, Gabriele
- Abstract
This paper investigates the impact of English as an international language on the German language and society. Even though English has influenced German linguistically for many years, the growing importance of English as a global language, and the increasingly dominant lingua franca in Europe, has drastically increased the presence of English in many domains of German life. This paper examines the role of English in contemporary German society, its impact on the German language, and attitudes toward English and the language change attributed to the influence of English. It concludes that, even though English has no official status in Germany, it plays an important role in many domains and is actively and passively used by many Germans. English has high prestige because it is considered a vital precondition for economic success. It is offered to most elementary school children at ever-younger ages as their first foreign language. English also serves as cultural identification in contemporary Germany. It is viewed as a symbol of internationalism and signals a new German identity that breaks with a nationalist past. German, like other languages, is undergoing rapid language change in response to fast technological, economic, and social change globally. An appendix presents examples of transference from English. (Contains 19 references.) (SM)
- Published
- 2003
84. The Fruits of Research Editors' Perspectives on Publishing Work from ICME-13
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Safford-Ramus, Katherine and Coben, Diana
- Abstract
The Thirteenth Meeting of the International Congress on Mathematical Education (ICME-13) convened in Hamburg, Germany, in July, 2016. There were two Topic Study Groups (TSGs) dedicated exclusively to adult learners and the authors of this paper served on the organizing committees of these groups. Arrangements were made by the congress committee for the publication of peer-reviewed papers from each TSG by Springer International Publishing AG in a series of edited books. In this paper we focus on our experiences as editors of the monographs resulting from our two TSGs.
- Published
- 2018
85. Why Are Child Poverty Rates Higher in Britain Than in Germany? A Longitudinal Perspective. Working Paper.
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Essex Univ., Colchester (England). Inst. for Social and Economic Research., Jenkins, Stephen P., and Schluter, Christian
- Abstract
This study analyzed why child poverty rates were so much higher in Great Britain than in Western Germany during the 1990s, focusing on why child poverty exit rates were lower and child poverty entry rates were higher in Great Britain. Researchers used a form of decomposition analysis comparing cross-nationally the prevalence of events that triggered poverty (changes in household composition, household labor market attachment, and labor earnings) and the chances of making a poverty transition conditional on experiencing a trigger event. Results found that the latter type of difference was the most important for both poverty exits and poverty entries. The findings reflected differences between the German and British welfare states, with the German one providing a greater cushion against adverse events and better reinforcement of positive events. Differences in the prevalence rates of trigger events also played a role. A notable example was the greater risk of job loss in Great Britain compared to Western Germany. (Contains 29 references.) (SM)
- Published
- 2001
86. Knowledge and Skills for the New Economy: The Role of Educational Policy. Training Matters: Working Paper Series.
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York Univ., Toronto (Ontario). Labour Education and Training Research Network. and Heidemann, Winfri
- Abstract
Traditionally characterized by a mixed human capital and human skills and resources model, the German education and training system has come under pressure from structural changes in economy and society. The emerging "new economy" is more than the sector of information technology industries. Beyond global action and rapid exchange of information, it is characterized by a new mode of economic activities in all economic sectors and is based on knowledge as the crucial production factor, on new forms of employment and new organization of work, and on new standards of quality of products and services. The "new economy" must be linked with a knowledge-based society. Against the background of continuous change, a new set of general, personal, and social competencies as complementary to specialized and technical qualifications seems to be needed. The old problem of equal chances in education and training is raised and must be revisited in the New Economy and knowledge-based society. A modern welfare state conception has to provide both promotion of the talented and special support for the disadvantaged. Lifelong learning has become a crucial prerequisite of the knowledge-based society. Facing the knowledge-based society, education and training policies in Europe more and more follow the emerging paradigm that stresses individual responsibility for one's educational career. (YLB)
- Published
- 2001
87. Enclaves, Language and the Location Choice of Migrants. Discussion Paper.
- Author
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Institute for the Study of Labor, Bonn (Germany)., Bauer, Thomas K., Epstein, Gil S., and Gang, Ira N.
- Abstract
Empirical studies in the migration literature have shown that migration enclaves (networks) negatively affect the language proficiency of migrants. These studies, however, ignore the choice of location as a function of language skills. Using data on Mexican migration to the United States, this paper examines the location choice of migrants and connects the location decision with their language proficiency. It estimates a conditional logit model using data on Mexican-U.S. migration collected by the Mexican Migration Project. Data are based on an ethno-survey approach. Interviews are generally conducted from December to January, when sojourner U.S. migrants often return to Mexico. These interviews are supplemented with surveys of migrants located in the United States. Results show that Mexican migrants with good English proficiency will choose, on average, to migrate to destinations with smaller ethnic enclaves as their English language proficiency improves, while Mexican migrants with poor English proficiency will choose locations that have large enclaves (since as the size of the enclave increases, the need for using English decreases). Two appendixes contain a data description and an econometric model. (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy Education.) (Contains 16 references.) (SM)
- Published
- 2002
88. How Much Language Is Enough? Some Immigrant Language Lessons from Canada and Germany. Discussion Paper.
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Institute for the Study of Labor, Bonn (Germany)., DeVoretz, Don J., Hinte, Holger, and Werner, Christiane
- Abstract
Germany and Canada are at opposite ends of the debate over language integration and ascension to citizenship. German naturalization contains an explicit language criterion for naturalization. The first German immigration act will not only concentrate on control aspects but also focus on language as a criterion for legal immigration. Canada does not base entry or citizenship on knowledge of either of its official languages. Acquisition of a second language in Canada is voluntary and largely dependent on labor market incentives. This paper offers a comparative review of Canadian and German legal and educational programs. Nine sections focus on the following: "Canadian Immigration Policy: Post 1945"; "Canada's Citizenship Act and Language Requirements"; "Historical Development of Germany's Immigration Policy"; "Confirmation of German Citizenship"; "'Aussiedler' Language Tests"; "Canada's Market-Based Language Tests and Instruction"; "Canada's Language Benchmarks"; "German Language Training"; and "Evaluation of Second Language Acquisition in Canada and Germany." Five appendixes contain excerpts from the German and Canadian law and data on the language support program for ethnic Germans and foreigners in Germany, status 2000. (Contains 3 figures, 11 tables, and 64 references.) (SM)
- Published
- 2002
89. Natives, the Foreign-Born and High School Equivalents: New Evidence on the Returns to the GED. Discussion Paper.
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Institute for the Study of Labor, Bonn (Germany)., Clark, Melissa A., and Jaeger, David A.
- Abstract
This paper explores the labor market returns to the General Education Development exam, or GED. Using new data from the Current Population Survey, it examines how the return to the GED varies between U.S. natives and the foreign-born. It finds that foreign-born men who hold a GED but received all of their formal schooling outside of the United States earn significantly more than either foreign-schooled dropouts or individuals with a foreign high school diploma. For foreign-born men with some U.S. schooling, earning a GED brings higher wages than a traditional U.S. high school diploma, although this difference is not statistically different from zero. These patterns stand in contrast to those for U.S. natives, among whom GED recipients earn less than high school graduates but significantly more than dropouts. The effects for natives appear to become larger over the life cycle and do not seem to be due to cohort effects. While it is difficult to attach a purely causal interpretation to the findings, they indicate that the GED may be more valuable in the labor market than some previous research suggests. (Contains 28 references.) (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy Education) (Author/SM)
- Published
- 2002
90. Sustainable Development Goals in EFL Students' Learning: A Systematic Review
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Ni Luh Putu Ning Septyarini Putri Astawa, Made Hery Santosa, Luh Putu Artini, and Putu Kerti Nitiasih
- Abstract
Involving the global issues as listed in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in education is necessarily done in the education process, especially in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning. Exposure to global issues is known to improve students' understanding, awareness, and ability to solve urgent issues faced by global society. This paper aims to find out the trend of research on the coverage of SDGs in students' learning process. This systematic literature analysis was done by applying Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Method. A total of 25 studies were recognized through a systematic search by using Sustainability, SDGs, and EFL as keywords. The result shows that the trend of associating SDGs with EFL settings was done mostly in Indonesia. In the recent year 2022, it reached the highest number of studies in the particular matter with 7 total of research. It was also found that the study involving SDGs on EFL learning was mostly done in the tertiary setting, compared with K-12, junior high school, secondary, high school, and other educational institutions. It was also discovered that the specific area of study enhances EFL students' learning achievement, environmental awareness, global citizen values, as well as students' levels of self-norms, beliefs, and self-value.
- Published
- 2024
91. Attitudes in Mathematical Discovery Processes: The Case of Alex and Milo
- Author
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Carolin Danzer
- Abstract
This paper's purpose is to investigate the attitude of students in mathematical discovery processes in terms of the handling of counterexamples. By understanding this attitude as a kind of scientific attitude, it consists of different aspects that become visible in the behaviour during a mathematical discovery process. Since such a process is particularly complex, the author's interest is to use the concept of attitude as an explanation for students' behaviour that occurs when dealing with conflicts such as counterexamples. Semi-structured interviews with sixth graders of a German Gymnasium were conducted and analysed in a qualitative and interpretative way. As a result, the case study of Alex and Milo is presented. Based on the framework that observable behaviour is influenced by an underlying attitude, there are drawn conclusions about Alex's and Milo's attitudes adopted in the mathematical discovery process and their impact on the process is elaborated.
- Published
- 2024
92. Integrating Decolonization and Anti-Racism into the World Language Curriculum
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Isabel Aven and Gisela Hoecherl-Alden
- Abstract
This paper explores ways to integrate social justice issues pertaining to decolonization and anti-racism into the world language classroom at all levels of instruction. It describes tasks designed to introduce language learners briefly to German colonialism, raise awareness of colonial legacies in contemporary German-speaking societies, and familiarize students with current decolonization initiatives. By engaging students with the complex diversity of German-speaking societies, the tasks provide examples for diversifying and decolonizing the language curriculum while fostering collaboration, critical thinking, and transcultural sensitivity. The examples highlight approaches to anti-racist pedagogies and ways of incorporating social justice practices across all levels of instruction and applicable to all languages.
- Published
- 2024
93. Internationalising Vocational Education and Training in Europe: Prelude to an Overdue Debate. A Discussion Paper. Conference on Internationalising Vocational Education and Training in Europe (Thessaloniki, Greece, May 25-27, 2000). CEDEFOP Panorama Series.
- Author
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European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, Thessaloniki (Greece)., Sogaard, Jorn, and Wollschlager, Norbert
- Abstract
These 12 papers represent different perspectives concerning internationalization of vocational education and training (VET) in Europe. The papers are: (1) "Internationalisation of Vocational Training in Europe" (Margrethe Vestager); (2) "International Employees Plead for Education and Assistance in Adjusting to Living in Foreign Cultures" (Jean R. McFarland); (3) "Globalisation and Internationalisation: Two Conflicting Discourses? Towards a Multilingual, Ethically Reflective Intercultural Competence" (Karen Risager); (4) "Trends in the Internationalisation of Qualifications" (Tim Oates); (5) "Internationalisation--What Are the Possibilities?" (Jorn Sogaard); (6) "Education and Training in Times of Globalization" (Michael Brater); (7) "The International Challenge for VET" (Kim Moller); (8) "Qualification Development of Internationally Active Skilled Workers--From Mobility of Labour to 'Virtual Mobility'" (Peter Wordelmann); (9) "Trainer Exchanges: A Staff Development Opportunity" (Marilyn Young); (10) "Internationalisation as a Challenge for Vocational Colleges in Europe" (Ronald Monch); (11) "The Internationalisation of VET: The Australian Experience" (Tony Crooks); and (12) "All of Us Must Have a Dream..." (Riccardo Petrella, interviewed by Norbert Wollschlaeger). Each paper contains references. (YLB)
- Published
- 2000
94. The Changing Teaching Environment. Occasional Paper Series.
- Author
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George Washington Univ., Washington, DC. Inst. for Education Policy Studies., Hansel, Lisa, Skinner, Becky, and Rotberg, Iris C.
- Abstract
This monograph describes a research program that will assess the cumulative effects of education policies on the teaching environment. It also focuses on how these policy outcomes affect the ability of schools to attract and retain highly qualified teachers and principals. The document presents the results of interviews conducted at two elementary schools that were intended to uncover how school-reform policies affected teachers. All of the nine teachers who were interviewed were in the process of incorporating standards, standardized testing, and/or accountability into their daily teaching regimens. The paper comments on the rapid pace of reforms, societal issues, resources for reform implementation, the quality of the teaching environment, and the implementation of future reforms. The interviews revealed that teachers tended to see negative outcomes from reforms, with such side effects as compressed teaching schedules and the neglect of certain subjects. The monograph then turns to schooling in England, Germany, and Japan in a comparative analysis of education policy in these countries. It provides the historical context of the school systems in all three countries, providing information on their governance and organization, how they assess students and provide them access to higher education, how they track students, how they educate students with disabilities, and how they train and develop teachers. (RJM)
- Published
- 2001
95. Cross-National Variation in Educational Preparation for Adulthood: From Early Adolescence to Young Adulthood. Working Paper No. 2001-01
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National Center for Education Statistics (ED), Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), and Lippman, Laura
- Abstract
This paper presents key indicators of educational and employment status for students making the transition from adolescence to early adulthood in selected Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. The data that are presented include international comparisons of student achievement, educational attainment, literacy and unemployment among young adults. Data on expenditures for education are presented as a measure of national investment in education. It is a selective account, presenting data on important educational markers from international surveys and collections, offered as representative of key aspects of transitioning from education to the workforce in each country. To ensure comparability of data across countries, the data are derived from international surveys, or data collection efforts in which data have been harmonized. The time frame to which the data refer is the middle of the 1990s, between 1994-96. The countries chosen for comparison are OECD members that are representative of the regions of Europe (Northern, Central, Southern, and Eastern), English-speaking countries, and Asia. The coverage of countries varies by source, as the same countries did not participate in each of the surveys and data collections. However, every effort was made to include seven countries that are of particular interest, and they are the focus of the discussion in the text and appear in the figures when data are available: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Italy. An appendix presents: Description of School Systems in Seven Countries.
- Published
- 2001
96. Learning to Learn in Mathematics: Two Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Fellows' Narratives
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Goldberg, Sabrina, Dean, Jana, and Portaankorva-Koivisto, Paivi
- Abstract
Two middle school educators earned a Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching fellowship. A Fulbright Finland Foundation inter-country travel grant provided the grantees with a unique opportunity to connect and collaborate at the University of Helsinki. Within this research, they described their inquiry experiences. The research included examining authentic student-centered learning continuums and phenomenon-based learning in Finland and teachers' adaptability in relation to meeting the needs of linguistically and culturally diverse math classrooms in the Netherlands. This paper summarizes how cross-cultural dialogues, classroom observations, and informal interviews with educators, students, and thought leaders informed each grantee's discovery of how student-centered learning is structured, delivered, and valued in Finland and the Netherlands. This article (1) describes how communication empowers middle school mathematics students, (2) analyzes the learning-to-learn framework, and (3) provides insights into how to utilize language diversity in a mathematics classroom.
- Published
- 2023
97. Management Skills. Skills Task Force Research Paper 3.
- Author
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Department for Education and Employment, London (England)., Johnson, Steven, and Winterton, Jonathan
- Abstract
A task force was convened to identify the nature, extent, and pattern of skill needs and shortages for managerial occupations in the United Kingdom (UK). The task force began by examining the key challenges facing managers in the UK. The following factors were among those considered: economic policies promoting liberalization and deregulation; increasingly fragmented and global product markets; and technological transformations arising from developments in microelectronics. The demand projections for managers and skills shortages (as demonstrated through recruitment problems for higher-level occupations) were reviewed along with the new skills and competencies demanded of managers. Skills related to the following management roles were detailed: managing operations, managing finance, managing people, and managing information. Each key role was subdivided into units of competence that were in turn subdivided into elements of competence. Performance criteria and range indicators were provided for each element of competence. The following key management roles were added to the original four: manage energy, manage quality, and manage projects. Existing management standards were reviewed and modified to reflect the new roles. Management training and development in schools and small and medium enterprises were discussed along with criticisms that have been leveled against competency-based management development. (Contains 112 references.) (MN)
- Published
- 1999
98. The Effect of Family Income during Childhood on Later-Life Attainment: Evidence from Germany. ISER Working Papers.
- Author
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Essex Univ., Colchester (England). Inst. for Social and Economic Research., Jenkins, Stephen P., and Schluter, Christian
- Abstract
This study examines income effects on German children's educational pathways, considering all three secondary school tracks (gymnasium, realschule, and hauptschule) and using measures of income and other variables that cover the entire childhood. The study controls for father's and mother's educational qualifications, examining the impact of money income rather than needs-adjusted income, and exploring whether income effects differ for native German children and children from households headed by foreigners (guestworkers). Data come from the German Socioeconomic Panel Survey. Study results find that, for this German child outcome, it is late-childhood income that matters, and income effects are linear rather than non-linear. The study also finds that income effects that do exist are small, in absolute terms, and relative to the effects of other determinants. These effects only apply to native German children. The effects are nonexistent for children of guestworker households. Income effects are small relative to the impact of differences in parental educational qualifications or institutional factors related to the federal state of residence. (SM)
- Published
- 2002
99. Lifelong Learning: Making It Work. An Adult Learning Australia Discussion Paper.
- Author
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Adult Learning Australia, Inc., Jamison. and Brown, Tony
- Abstract
This discussion paper is from the Adult Learners Week National Seminar on Lifelong Learning Policy (Canberra, Australia, September 1999) that identified a number of ideas about how to foster national policy development on lifelong learning. It consists of three sections. Part 1 contains "A National Lifelong Learning Policy for Australia?" (Tony Brown), an introduction to lifelong learning policy with a list of questions to focus future discussion; two discussion starters, "Is Lifelong Learning Critical, Desirable, or Just a Good Idea?" (Philip C. Candy) and "A Vision for the Future of Australian Education and Training" (Moira Scollay), each with a list of questions to focus future discussions; and "Discussion and Recommendations of the Seminar Working Groups." Part 2 provides these examples of statements on lifelong learning from Australia and around the world: "Key Issues and Characteristics of Lifelong Learning" (National Board of Employment, Education, and Training, Australia); "Five Key Dimensions of Lifelong Learning in a Learning Society" (Peter Kearns); "Why We Need Lifelong Learning" (Australian National Training Authority [ANTA]); "The Attributes of a Lifelong Learning Policy Framework" (ANTA); "Lifelong Learning for All" (Donald J. Johnston); "Aims and Ambitions for Lifelong Learning" (G8 Summit Koln Charter, Germany); "The Learning Age: Towards a Europe of Knowledge" (Paul Belanger); "Learning to Succeed: A New Framework for Post-16 Learning" (United Kingdom policy document summary); "Lifelong Learning Summit" (Al Gore); and "Launch of Manpower 21 Plan" (Singapore government policy document). Part 3 has these appendixes: seminar program, seminar participants, and references. (Contains 31 references.) (YLB)
- Published
- 2000
100. The Effect of Firm-Based Training on Earnings. Working Paper.
- Author
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Monash Univ., Clayton, Victoria (Australia). Centre for the Economics of Education and Training. and Long, Mike
- Abstract
The conclusion of a 1999 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report that wage gains for training are higher for workers with lower levels of education was revisited using data for males from the 1997 Australian Survey of Education and Training (SET). The study used methods similar to the OECD report (ordinary least squares and treatment effects model) with the following findings: (1) earnings effects for workers with Skilled and Basic Vocational Qualifications were slightly higher than for completers of Year 12; (2) years of occupational experience strongly affected earnings, though effect size declines with experience; and (3) structured training had a positive effect and unstructured training mixed effects. No evidence of a pattern of earnings effects consistent with the OECD results was found. A second study conducted further analyses of the 1997 SET data within the context of the OECD results. For Australia, the OECD had used 1995 Australian Workplace and Industrial Relations Survey (AWIRS). SET results were compared with AWIRS and other results for Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Great Britain. The reanalysis highlighted limitations of the OECD report: focus on employer-sponsored formal training, incumbent employees aged 25-54, and cross-sectional rather than longitudinal data. With multivariate analyses to correct for selection biases, the second study did not support the conclusion of the OECD report. (Study 1 contains 10 references; study 2 contains 24 references.) (SK)
- Published
- 2001
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