Creating an Online Learning Community: Is it Possible?

As institutions are moving towards offering more online and distance education courses, scholars have reported that instructors may have difficulty developing learning communities among students enrolled in these courses (DiRamio and Wolverton 2006). The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in students’ perceptions of a learning community when enrolled in an online or on-campus introduction to counseling course. Participants were beginning graduate and advanced undergraduate students interested in pursuing a higher education degree in counseling. Results indicated no significant difference in students’ perceptions of learning communities based on course format.     

Techniques for Improving Online Community College Completion Rates: Narrow the Path?

This paper provides a brief overview of the status of retention and completion efforts among community colleges in the United States. This article identifies a number of successful strategies utilized in on-ground institutions that may translate well to online programs. In light of these successes, the article questions whether the costly current approaches by administrators of online institutions are not overlooking effective alternatives. The article also provides a number of questions for further discussion.     

An Investigation and Analysis of Status Quo of College English Learning Strategies

With the purpose of improving teaching quality and studying efficiency through the improving of their learning strategies,this study investigated the college English learning strategies in normal universities in China,which tries to give account of status quo of strategy use among these students in this relatively input-poor environment.     

“Dangerous Work”: Improving Conditions for Faculty of Color in the Community College

This qualitative investigation of the experiences of faculty of color at community colleges identifies current conditions for this population and suggests potentials for ameliorating conditions that inhibit their job satisfaction. We argue that the current conditions for faculty of color, based upon their expressed experiences at the community colleges, are deleterious to their professional performance, to their positive self-image, and to their contributions to their institutions. Alterations to these current conditions are unlikely without systemic institutional change. Indeed, without improvement to these conditions, the job satisfaction of faculty of color is not likely to change.     

An Analysis of the“College English”Series

With further reforms carried out in college English teaching to non-English majors, the compilation of college English course books is causing great concern among administrators, professionals, and teachers as well. The article makes a general analysis of the widely used "College English" Series (Integrated Course, new edition) . Much is discussed about its guiding principles and theoretical bases, its framework and specific features. Written in accordance with the College English Syllabus (revised edition), this course book not only preserves the essence of traditional English language teaching and textbook writing, but also adopts the latest developments of theory and practice in foreign language teaching.     

Meeting of the Minds: Online Matching Program for Teaching and Learning Styles?

Although there are many disagreements on the major causes of problems in the educational system in the United States, few would disagree that the importance of ensuring the success of our students is not only a moral obligation to our youth, but imperative to our national resilience. And, as a nation, we are responding to this urgent need. The College Completion Agenda mandates that 55% of the nation’s 25-to-35-year olds will be degree holders by the year 2025 (Lee & Rawls, 2010). But how do we accomplish the ambitious challenge and a necessary aspiration to elevate America’s status as a world leader in educational attainment among its citizenry? Innovative ideas and technologies that can counterbalance the barriers that threaten student success must be identified and advanced. The purpose of this article is to discuss the opportunity to leverage the marvel of online phenomena and technology in innovative ways to help students reach their full potential. Specifically, we introduce a new conceptual tool that replicates the power of social networking online matching services to link student learning preference with faculty instructional style.     

An Analysis on the Significance of Reflective Learning within the Practice of English Teaching

Aiming at the analysis on the concept of reflective learning and its theoretical basis, this paper explores into the significance of strengthening students’ reflective awareness, guiding their reflection-in-action, and developing them into reflective learners within the practice of English teaching.     

Does Posttransfer Involvement Matter for Persistence of Community College Transfer Students?

Because of increasing mobility among various college student populations, both the baccalaureate degree attainment of community college beginners and the role played by their receiving 4-year institution are growing in importance. In this study, we examined how the academic and social involvement of community college transfer students differs by the type of receiving institution, and how strongly their posttransfer involvement is associated with persistence. Results indicated that academic and social involvement were higher for students who transferred to private not-for-profit doctoral institutions, as compared to those who transferred to other types of institutions. Also, among the involvement variables, academic advising is the factor that is most positively associated with the persistence of these students. Our findings make the case for a comprehensive examination of persistence of community college transfer students, looking at both their level of involvement and the type of institution they move to.     

An Explorative Analysis of the Ways to Train the College Students＇ Ability of Emotion Control

近年来,高校中的心理危机事件逐年增多,这些心理危机事件的出现多与大学生的抑郁、焦虑、冲动等不良情绪有关。情绪为行为提供动力,直接影响到大学生的认知、行为选择、社会交往和身心健康。受不良情绪的影响,大学生常常表现出缺乏自信、紧张、对学习没有热情、对同学冷漠无情甚至失去理智、毁物伤人。引导大学生在现实生活中用正确的态度认识问题,用积极的心态面对问题,用有效的方式解决问题是至关重要的。优化教育环境是大学生情绪管理能力培养途径中最为重要的,教育环境主要包括教师的人格魅力与榜样作用,管理与服务部门的人文关怀与育人理念,校园文化的教育功能,校园自然环境的情绪修复功能等。     

Does Discussion Promote Learning Outcomes? Analysis of an Online Criminology Class: Research Note

The extent to which discussion promotes learning outcomes is a relatively unexplored area in teaching. The present paper contributes to the literature by assessing the extent to which student use of a discussion board is predictive of grades. The sample consists of 341 students who completed an online course in criminology. Learning outcomes are measured in terms of final examination scores. The number of participations or hits (N?=?6,934) on a web-based discussion board is used as a measure of the quantity of class participation. Overall, hits on the discussion board did not predict grades. However, among low achievers, the greater the participation in the board, the higher the grades. Using data on a web-based discussion board as a measure, the present study reports a link between discussion and achievement for low achievers—a result consistent with a previous study in online physics classes. Future work is needed to explore such moderating effects in the link between the use of other web-based utilities, such as blogs, on student performance.     

Study on the Needs Analysis of Non-English Majors for English Learning——A Case Study on Dongchang College of Liaocheng University

Needs analysis is an important link in the process of course designs,and it is the important basis for teachers to organize teaching and evaluate teaching results.Based on the theory of needs analysis,taking questionnaire method,choosing 100 non-English majors of Dongchang College of Liaocheng University as research objects,the thesis investigates the current situation of English learning and teaching.     

Does Mathematics Remediation Work?: A Comparative Analysis of Academic Attainment among Community College Students

Postsecondary remediation is a controversial topic. On one hand, it fills an important and sizeable niche in higher education. On the other hand, critics argue that it wastes tax dollars, diminishes academic standards, and demoralizes faculty. Yet, despite the ongoing debate, few comprehensive, large-scale, multi-institutional evaluations of remedial programs have been published in recent memory. The study presented here constitutes a step forward in rectifying this deficit in the literature, with particular attention to testing the efficacy of remedial math programs. In this study, I use hierarchical multinomial logistic regression to analyze data that address a population of 85,894 freshmen, enrolled in 107 community colleges, for the purpose of comparing the long-term academic outcomes of students who remediate successfully (achieve college-level math skill) with those of students who achieve college-level math skill without remedial assistance. I find that these two groups of students experience comparable outcomes, which indicates that remedial math programs are highly effective at resolving skill deficiencies.

Is There a Role for Mathematical Disciplinarity in Productive Learning for the Workplace?

This paper situates mathematical content and process knowledge within the construct of broad occupational competence. It is critical of many developments in vocational mathematics curriculum and pedagogical practice in Australia over the last decade or so, especially the trend towards the de-institutionalisation of disciplinary knowledge. This has been accompanied by a chronic lack of professional development for many involved in vocational education to enable development of this mathematical knowledge. Meanwhile, workers' actual and potential mathematical knowledges remain largely unrecognised, whilst irrelevant, often infantile, pedagogic texts form their subjectivities as doers rather than knowers, always in need of more training to adapt to ever-changing technologies of workplace plant and management. It argues that to attempt to satisfy government and industry demands for a creative, problem-solving workforce?to say nothing of workers' entitlement to democratic participation?there is a need for mathematical disciplinarity beyond current practice.     

Earthquake Analysis for the System of RC Building with a Steel Tower

The damping ratios of RC buildings and steel tower are 0. 05 and 0. 01 respectively, so a steel tower topping an RC building comprises a non-proportional damping system[1,2]. Due to the difficulty of dynamic analysis for non-proportional damping systems[3-5] , these systems are usually simplified as proportional damping ones with equivalent damping ratio. The equivalent damping ratio takes a value more than 0.01 and less than 0. 05. To compare the results calculated using the non- proportion…     

Can the LCFF Improve Teaching and Learning for EL Students? A Review of the Emerging Research in California and Directions for Future Implementation

Unlike previous school finance policies, California’s new Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) has the potential to more equitably distribute funding to public schools. Having only recently been implemented, the impact of this policy is still under examination. However, emerging research points to the shortcomings of the policy, including the lack of explicit focus on English learners (EL). Many of the limitations of the LCFF can be attributed to the lack of spending accountability and specific measurable outcomes in the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). This article discusses remedies and recommendations for increased attention and accountability for EL students in future implementations of the LCFF and LCAP.     

Ramadan Fasting and the Propensity for Learning: Is There a Cause for Concern?

The literature indicates that glucose deprivation, dehydration, decreased sleep quality and quantity, and mood changes, independently and adversely can influence cognitive functions and therefore learning. The Ramadan fast is an annual religious act undertaken by Muslims where individuals refrain from consuming food and fluid during daylight hours, daily over 30 days. Alteration in eating times and sleep–wake cycles lead to a disruption in the body's daily circadian rhythm resulting in sleep perturbations and mood swings. Consequently, Ramadan fasting is linked to daytime lower glucose concentration, dehydration, decreased sleep quality and quantity, mood swings and elevated subjective feelings of fatigue and malaise. This review highlights how Ramadan fasting potentially poses learning difficulties as a result of the independent and/or combined effects of these factors.     

Can Pre-entry Characteristics Account for the Ethnic Attainment Gap? An Analysis of a Flemish University

Research in Higher Education - Discussions about social justice imply discussions about higher education. After all, a whole set of literature has illustrated how ethnic minority students face all...