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Descriptors:
Student Financial Aid; Federal Government; Higher Education; Incentives; Eligibility; Educational Change; Tax Credits; Tuition; Student Loan Programs; Credentials; Grants; Low Income Groups; Outreach Programs

Abstract:
The federal financial aid system is no longer up to today's demands. Built in a different era, its haphazard evolution over the decades has made it inefficient, poorly targeted, and overly complicated. With the need for higher education never greater and college growing increasingly unaffordable, students deserve a streamlined aid system that is more understandable, effective, and fair. Policymakers can achieve such reforms at no additional cost to taxpayers--by rebalancing existing resources and better aligning incentives for students and institutions of higher education. Ultimately, those reforms will increase access to high-quality credentials and boost student success in higher education and the workforce. In "Rebalancing Resources and Incentives in Federal Student Aid," the authors offer more than 30 specific policy recommendations that are designed to create such a system. Nothing is off-limits. They recommend specific changes to federal grants, loans, tax benefits, college outreach programs and federal regulations to provide more direct aid to the lowest-income students, while strengthening accountability for institutions of higher education to ensure that more students are able to earn affordable, high-quality credentials. Taken together, the package of proposals in their report is "budget-neutral" over the 10-year period from federal fiscal years 2013-2022. Pell Grant Funding Sources are appended. (Contains 1 figure, 3 tables, and 120 notes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Equal Education; Opinions; Schools; Lifelong Learning; Educational Opportunities; Teacher Attitudes; Surveys; Information Technology; Questionnaires; Higher Education; Technology Integration; Inservice Teacher Education; Inservice Education; Attendance; Virtual Universities

Abstract:
The present paper reports on the results obtained from a teachers' opinion survey on the use of ICT tools to support of attendance-based teaching. In order to carry out this study, it was necessary to design a questionnaire to collect data among all in-service teachers with access to the university virtual campus. The findings show that respondents keep an open mind on incorporating ICT tools into their daily practices, on that point, this research has significantly contributed to the educational institution by providing accurate information about ICT use. The survey has also encouraged the university in its work on the integration of ICT in every area where it is possible, with the aim objectives of increasing access to learning, providing equal educational opportunities for all and ensuring lifelong learning, which are the mainstays of the Bologna Declaration. (Contains 8 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Mental Retardation; Lifelong Learning; Literacy; Adult Literacy; Community Based Instruction (Disabilities); Educational Needs; Needs Assessment; Skill Analysis; Skill Development; Community Organizations; Community Services; Improvement Programs; Interest Inventories; Educational Opportunities; Older Adults; Foreign Countries; Educational Environment; Measures (Individuals)

Abstract:
Despite the importance of and advocacy for developing literacy skills for successful and rewarding participation in the community, there remains a common perception that becoming literate is not possible for people with intellectual disabilities. Until recently, limited research has been undertaken to investigate the literacy skills of adults with intellectual disabilities. In particular, research related to opportunities for lifelong learning in community-based organisations, and to the kinds of literacy activities that might be both developmentally and socially appropriate to assist adults with intellectual disabilities to remain active as they age, is limited in relation to older adults with intellectual disabilities. This exploratory project used a range of instruments to gather information about the literacy skills of older adults to identify their literacy needs and wants, and to consider opportunities to enhance and maintain literacy skills existing in an ongoing activity program in one community-based service organisation. (Contains 4 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Credentials; Higher Education; Classification; Foreign Countries; Student Mobility; Colleges; Context Effect; Educational Change; Educational Opportunities; Institutional Cooperation; Transfer Policy; College Credits; Institutional Autonomy; Academic Degrees; Vocational Education

Abstract:
This monograph sets out to explain the effects that evolutionary and legislated system-design changes can have on students' understanding of Canada's PSE sector, how it functions and the various opportunities it provides. In so doing, the monograph argues that a new approach to classifying post-secondary education is required to provide students with a clearer and more accurate understanding of the sector and the many opportunities it provides. Without such an understanding, students may be at risk of making choices that limit their options for pursuing progressive levels of education. The monograph is organized into five parts. Part 1, "Beyond the Binary Model: Canada's Post-secondary Institutions and Credentials," presents a brief synopsis of the development of the institutions and structures of Canada's PSE systems, surveying the different types of institutions and credentials currently in Canada. Part 2, "Increased Differentiation, Inter-institutional Relationships and Student Mobility," presents a contextual discussion describing the forces behind institutional transformation and examining the ways in which system design can impact upon student mobility and the transparency of post-secondary education information. Part 3, "Classifying Canadian Post-secondary Institutions," presents an examination of various approaches to the classification of post-secondary institutions and qualifications. Part 4, "Sorting Out Canadian PSE: Can it be Done?," presents an exploration of whether current approaches are sufficient to help students sort out their many post-secondary opportunities. The conclusion presents a discussion of whether the implementation of a widely understood institutional classification system would be of benefit to Canadians. A bibliography is included. (Contains 108 endnotes, 2 tables and 1 figure.) [For related reports, see "Tallying the Costs of Post-Secondary Education: The Challenge of Managing Student Debt and Loan Repayment in Canada. Challenges in Canadian Post-Secondary Education" (ED525094); and "Up to Par: The Challenge of Demonstrating Quality in Canadian Post-Secondary Education. Challenges in Canadian Post-Secondary Education" (ED525092).] Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Educational Policy; Higher Education; Stakeholders; Administrators; Rhetoric; Educational Change; Foreign Countries; Neoliberalism; Ideology; Lifelong Learning; Accountability; Institutional Autonomy; Administrative Organization; Efficiency; Educational Finance; Democratic Values; Skill Development; Educational Opportunities

Abstract:
In the last few years, radical neo-liberal reforms have been introduced in the Greek Higher Education sector. The new "reforms" challenge the traditionally high autonomy of Higher Education (HE) institutions in matters of administrative regulations, study structures, assessment of students and teachers. The new rhetoric of the Greek government is based, on one hand, on a neoliberal ideology which emphasises "decentralisation of decision-making", "consumerism", "accountability" and "efficiency" in HE. On the other hand, it employs a post-modern discourse, which emphasises the multiple identities that individuals carry with them, denies "grand narratives" and promotes a continuous "upgrading" of knowledge and skills through the creation of Life-long Learning (LLL) opportunities. This paper will examine how the configuration of the specific rhetoric is being constantly re-contextualised and supported by the policy makers, highlighting the importance of the immensely "centralist" Greek State, which is assuming a "regulatory" role, but only when it deals with "structures" and "legal framework" and not when it comes to safeguarding the--constitutionally prescribed--"free" character of HE by providing the necessary funding, or when it comes to matters of upholding democratic participation by giving power to the various stakeholders of the academic institutions (faculty, students, administrative personnel). It will also stress issues arising from the globalization of educational policy-making and of the homogenisation of assessment practices in HE (e.g. the so-called common "European Higher Education Area"). Additionally, the paper will link the new post-modern rhetoric of individual "choice" and "emancipation" to global needs of capitalist production, which has witnessed a tremendous transformation in recent decades and is currently in the midst of a financial and fiscal turmoil. In connection to this, the recent austerity measures imposed from March 2010 will be commented upon and possible future consequences on HE structures will be suggested. (Contains 7 footnotes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Credentials; Labor Market; National Competency Tests; Labor Force Development; Postsecondary Education; Low Income; Low Income Groups; Adults; Employment Opportunities; Federal Legislation; Community Colleges; Two Year Colleges; Higher Education; Outcomes of Education; English Language Learners; Adult Basic Education

Abstract:
Shifting Gears was launched in 2007 by the Joyce Foundation, a Chicago-based organization focused on improving the quality of life of citizens residing in the Great Lakes region of the United States. The primary goal of Shifting Gears is to increase the number of low-skilled, low-income Midwestern adults who obtain college-level occupational credentials that have value in the labor market. This article presents the goals of the Shifting Gears initiative and the policy initiatives adopted by Illinois and Wisconsin. Drawing from research supported by each state, this article presents goals, strategic approaches, and lessons for practitioners who have responsibility for leading other regional workforce initiatives in the United States. (Contains 1 figure.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Foreign Countries; Universities; Foreign Students; Classification; Student Recruitment; Student Diversity; Social Capital; Citizenship; Credentials; State Aid; Student Needs; Role; Ambiguity (Context); Context Effect; Identification (Psychology); Student College Relationship; Higher Education; Comparative Education; Differences; Self Concept; Immigrants; Status

Abstract:
As Canadian universities seek to attract more international students, there is a need to recognize and respond to the diversity within this group and to question the binary categories of domestic students and international students. Relying primarily on 116 qualitative interviews with international undergraduates at the University of British Columbia, we utilize American students as a case study from which to explore the complex and blurred boundaries between these two categories. Americans resemble domestic students in some respects and international students in others, yet they are often less prepared to meet adaptational challenges because they have low expectations of cultural and institutional differences. We compare the experiences of Americans and international students from other countries, as well as other groups of students who fall between the cracks of the domestic and international student classifications. We argue that, by targeting services on the basis of these broad administrative categories, categories that were created for financial purposes, the university reduces the take-up of the very services students need. (Contains 20 notes, 1 figure and 2 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Neighborhoods; Program Effectiveness; Preservice Teacher Education; Teacher Education Programs; Second Language Learning; Low Income Groups; Community Organizations; Preservice Teachers; Educational Innovation; Field Experience Programs; Educational Opportunities; Minority Group Students; Teacher Responsibility; Partnerships in Education; Case Studies; Cohort Analysis; Longitudinal Studies; Qualitative Research; Interviews; Focus Groups; Observation; Student Surveys

Abstract:
Background: Research shows that students who are overrepresented when it comes to failure are underrepresented when it comes to being taught by highly qualified teachers who are well prepared to teach students from diverse backgrounds. Teacher education, as one aspect of the educational system, plays a critical role in preparing teachers with the necessary principles and practices for improving the academic, social, and intellectual opportunities available to students of color, low-income students, and English language learners. Acknowledging this responsibility, teacher education programs continue to search for structural, curricular, and pedagogical approaches to prepare teachers to teach in increasingly diverse contexts. One response has been to connect preservice teachers with community experiences, an uncommon strategy that has been asserted at various times over the past century. This study examines one teacher education program's innovation of placing preservice teachers in community-based organizations (CBOs) to better prepare candidates to teach children whose backgrounds are different from their own--and particularly children who attend high-needs schools. Purpose of Study: This study addresses questions of both implementation and impact, specifically examining the participation of preservice teachers in CBOs and the outcomes of this innovation on their opportunities to learn. Through this research, the authors aim to advance the field of teacher education's understanding of community experiences, and in particular to highlight the ways in which partnerships with community organizations advance the preparation of teachers. Setting: The University of Washington's Elementary Teacher Education Program (ELTEP), a five-quarter postbaccalaureate master's in teaching program. Participants: Participants in this study include case study preservice teachers from two cohorts: faculty who teach in the teacher education program, and staff who work in the community-based organizations in which the preservice teachers are placed. Intervention: During the first quarter in the program, preservice teachers spend 60 hours each in CBOs that serve diverse youth. The intention behind the community-based placements is to (1) build connections between prospective teachers, community organizations, and local schools, (2) give prospective teachers opportunities to develop a holistic and assets-based view of children and youth, (3) acknowledge education and learning as a process that occurs in multiple contexts, and (4) place students, families, neighborhoods, and communities at the center of teaching and education. Research Design: We designed a 3-year longitudinal study in which we follow two cohorts of preservice teachers from their teacher preparation through their first year of teaching. We employ qualitative methods of interviews, focus groups, observations, document review, and survey methods. Data analysis occurred as an iterative process. For this article, we systematically coded individual and focus group interviews for concepts that reflected participants' participation and outcomes in regard to the program innovation. Findings: Findings highlight specific dimensions of teachers' participation in CBOs and indicate ways in which the community experiences added to the resources for learning provided by the teacher education program. The authors also classify outcomes of this innovation and explicate the kinds of opportunities such experiences provide preservice teachers. Specifically, the authors identify instances of how placements in CBOs afforded preservice teachers new ways of seeing and understanding children beyond school and across difference. These findings are preliminary and are based on data and analysis from the first year of our 3-year study. Conclusions: Through the in-depth case study of the University of Washington Elementary Teacher Education Program's community-based partnership innovation, we contribute to an overall understanding of such efforts in teacher education. By building on a strong conceptual foundation based in sociocultural and activity theories, this study provides preliminary evidence that field placements in community-based organizations are a promising approach to supporting preservice teachers' opportunities to learn to work with children from diverse backgrounds. In particular, partnerships with community organizations may move teacher education efforts closer to the overall goal of preparing teachers with knowledge of children that allows them to incorporate the complexity of children's lives into the classroom in ways that ultimately improve children's opportunities to learn. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Academic Achievement; Academic Persistence; Academic Support Services; Access to Computers; Access to Education; Access to Information; Accounting; Acoustics; Administration; Adolescents; Alignment (Education); Appropriate Technology; Art Teachers; Artificial Intelligence; At Risk Students; Attention; Autism; Automation; Barriers; Behavior Change; Biology; Books; Brain; Business Administration Education; Business; Calculus; Career Exploration; Career Readiness; Case Studies; Causal Models; Cerebral Palsy; Change Agents; Classification; Classroom Communication; Classroom Environment; Client Server Architecture; Cognitive Processes; Cognitive Science; Cognitive Structures; Cognitive Style; Collaborative Writing; College Faculty; College Freshmen; College Instruction; College Readiness; College Students; Color; Communication (Thought Transfer); Communication Skills; Communications; Communities of Practice; Community Development; Comparative Analysis; Competition; Computer Assisted Instruction; Computer Assisted Testing; Computer Games; Computer Interfaces; Computer Literacy; Computer Mediated Communication; Computer Networks; Computer Science Education; Computer Science; Computer Security; Computer Simulation; Computer Software; Computers; Concept Mapping; Constructivism (Learning); Content Analysis; Context Effect; Conventional Instruction; Cooperation; Cooperative Learning; Corporate Education; Correlation; Cost Effectiveness; Creativity; Criteria; Critical Thinking; Cues; Curriculum Design; Curriculum; Data Analysis; Data Collection; Data Processing; Data; Database Management Systems; Decision Making; Delivery Systems; Design; Development; Difficulty Level; Disabilities; Discovery Learning; Distance Education; Educational Research; Down Syndrome; Dropouts; Ecology; Editing; Educational Assessment; Educational Attainment; Educational Environment; Educational Finance; Educational Games; Educational Media; Educational Objectives; Educational Practices; Educational Psychology; Educational Quality; Educational Resources; Educational Technology; Electronic Learning; Electronic Publishing; Electronics; Elementary Education; Elementary Secondary Education; Emotional Response; Energy; Engineering; English (Second Language); Entrepreneurship; Environmental Education; Epistemology; Equipment; Evaluation Methods; Evaluative Thinking; Evidence; Exhibits; Expertise; Eye Movements; Faculty Development; Feedback (Response); Foreign Countries; Foreign Policy; Forestry; Formative Evaluation; General Education; Geographic Location; Global Approach; Goal Orientation; Graduate Students; Grammar; Grounded Theory; Group Dynamics; Group Experience; Group Membership; Handheld Devices; Heterogeneous Grouping; High School Students; High Schools; High Stakes Tests; Higher Education; Holistic Approach; Hypermedia; Identification; Imagination; Immigration; Indexing; Indigenous Populations; Influence of Technology; Informal Education; Information Dissemination; Information Literacy; Information Management; Information Retrieval; Information Science; Information Seeking; Information Skills; Information Storage; Information Technology; Inquiry; Instruction; Instructional Design; Instructional Effectiveness; Integrated Learning Systems; Interaction; Interdisciplinary Approach; Internet; Interpersonal Communication; Interpersonal Relationship; Interrater Reliability; Intervention; Introductory Courses; Italian; Item Banks; Kindergarten; Knowledge Level; Laboratories; Laboratory Equipment; Language Role; Learner Engagement; Learning Activities; Learning Experience; Learning Motivation; Learning Processes; Learning Theories; Learning; Lexicography; Lifelong Learning; Likert Scales; Literacy; Logical Thinking; Man Machine Systems; Mathematical Logic; Mathematical Models; Mathematics; Metacognition; Metadata; Middle School Students; Mixed Methods Research; Models; Motivation; Multimedia Materials; Museums; National Programs; Native Speakers; Natural Language Processing; Nonprint Media; Norwegian; Novices; Official Languages; Online Courses; Online Searching; Open Source Technology; Opportunities; Outcomes of Education; Ownership; Pattern Recognition; Peer Evaluation; Peer Relationship; Performance Based Assessment; Personal Autonomy; Personality Traits; Physical Environment; Pilot Projects; Planning; Play; Prediction; Predictor Variables; Preservice Teacher Education; Preservice Teachers; Prior Learning; Privacy; Probability; Problem Based Learning; Problem Solving; Production Techniques; Programming; Public Agencies; Public Policy; Questioning Techniques; Reading Improvement; Reference Materials; Reflection; Relevance (Education); Religious Education; Research Methodology; Role Playing; Scaffolding (Teaching Technique); Schemata (Cognition); Scholarship; School Policy; Science Activities; Science Process Skills; Scientific Methodology; Scores; Search Engines; Second Language Instruction; Second Language Learning; Secondary Education; Secondary School Science; Secondary School Students; Selection; Self Control; Self Evaluation (Individuals); Semantics; Semi Structured Interviews; Semitic Languages; Sharing Behavior; Simulated Environment; Social Behavior; Social Networks; Social Studies; Social Support Groups; Social Systems; Special Needs Students; Stakeholders; Standards; Story Telling; Strategic Planning; Student Attitudes; Student Behavior; Student Centered Curriculum; Student Characteristics; Student Empowerment; Student Evaluation; Student Improvement; Student Motivation; Student Surveys; Students; Study Habits; Summative Evaluation; Summer Schools; Sustainability; Synthesis; Systems Analysis; Taxonomy; Teacher Influence; Teacher Student Relationship; Teaching Methods; Teaching Skills; Teamwork; Technical Education; Technical Occupations; Technological Advancement; Technology Integration; Technology Uses in Education; Telecommunications; Test Reliability; Tests; Textbooks; Theory Practice Relationship; Thinking Skills; Time Management; Time; Tutoring; Tutors; Underachievement; Undergraduate Students; Users (Information); Video Technology; Virtual Classrooms; Visual Aids; Visual Environment; Visual Literacy; Visualization; Vocabulary Development; Water Quality; Web 2.0 Technologies; Web Sites; Weighted Scores; Workshops; World Views; Writing Improvement

Abstract:
The IADIS CELDA 2012 Conference intention was to address the main issues concerned with evolving learning processes and supporting pedagogies and applications in the digital age. There had been advances in both cognitive psychology and computing that have affected the educational arena. The convergence of these two disciplines is increasing at a fast pace and affecting academia and professional practice in many ways. Paradigms such as just-in-time learning, constructivism, student-centered learning and collaborative approaches have emerged and are being supported by technological advancements such as simulations, virtual reality and multi-agents systems. These developments have created both opportunities and areas of serious concerns. This conference aimed to cover both technological as well as pedagogical issues related to these developments. The IADIS CELDA 2012 Conference received 98 submissions from more than 24 countries. Out of the papers submitted, 29 were accepted as full papers. In addition to the presentation of full papers, short papers and reflection papers, the conference also includes a keynote presentation from internationally distinguished researchers. Individual papers contain figures, tables, and references. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Principals; Educational Change; Urban Schools; Elementary Schools; Instructional Leadership; Participative Decision Making; Elementary School Teachers; Hispanic Americans; Parents; Low Income Groups; Social Capital; Empowerment; Capacity Building; Leadership Role; Role Conflict; Coping; Community Organizations; Parent School Relationship; Educational Cooperation; Interviews; Observation

Abstract:
Purpose: Educational leadership is key to addressing the persistent inequities in low-income urban schools, but most principals struggle to work with parents and communities around those schools to create socially just learning environments. This article describes the conditions and experiences that enabled principals to share leadership with teachers and low-income Latino parents to improve student learning. Methods: This study used interviews, observations, and documents to examine the perceptions and experiences of the principals of three small autonomous schools initiated by a community organizing group in California. Data analysis was conducted in iterative phases using shared leadership, social capital, and role theories as lenses to identify themes, triangulate across data sources, and examine alternative hypotheses. Findings: Findings illuminate how a design team process initiated principals into a model of shared leadership with teachers and empowered parents that focused on deep relationships and capacity building. Principals enacted this model of the "principal as organizer" in the newly-opened schools, but they struggled to navigate conflicting leadership role expectations from district administration. Implications: Organizing approaches to education reform can cultivate shared leadership in principals and the capacity to partner with empowered, low-income Latino parents. District expectations and principals' broader social networks may be critical in navigating and sustaining such leadership. Further research on districts that collaborate with community organizing groups may provide promising insights into the development of a new generation of educational leaders. (Contains 1 table and 9 notes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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