Assistant Teachers in Head Start Classrooms: Comparing to and Working With Lead Teachers

Research Findings: The purpose of the present study is to examine the degree to which assistant and lead teachers work together in Head Start classrooms in 3 domains: emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support. Pairs of lead and assistant teachers from 14 Head Start classrooms were simultaneously observed for 1 morning to examine the quality of teachers’ interactions with students in these 3 domains. First we examined the mean levels of the 3 domains and how they differed among teachers. Overall, results indicated moderate levels of emotional support and classroom organization and low levels of instructional support. In comparing lead and assistant teachers, we found that lead teachers offered significantly higher levels of instructional support than assistant teachers. Next we examined how the quality of lead and assistant teachers’ interactions were related over time. Concurrent correlations were nonsignificant. Lagged correlations suggested that lead and assistant teachers’ interactions with students were related over time. Practice or Policy: Assistant teachers offered comparable levels of emotional support and classroom organization but did not offer the same levels of instructional support. This suggests that assistant teachers are able to help provide a nurturing environment and help with structuring activities despite having lower entry-level qualification requirements. This study supports the notion that assistant teachers as well as lead teachers should be included in quality improvement efforts.     

Competencies and interest in a problem-focused undergraduate research methods criminal justice course: Two assessments

This study reports on two efforts, in a problem-centered undergraduate criminal justice research methods course, to gauge students' skills in understanding graphical data display and quasi-experimental designs. The problems addressed were drunk driving and handguns. Results show a moderate level of skill by students at course conclusion, but the weak quasi-experimental design precludes confirming the skills were acquired because of the course itself. Students did, however, report increased interest in the two problems because of course coverage. The approach described here may help bridge the gap between skill vs. content vs. process centered views on criminal justice as a liberal arts major.     

ACHIEVEMENT IN ONLINE AND CAMPUS-BASED CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION (CTE) COURSES

ABSTRACT

Community colleges are actively involved in distance-learning programs in Career and Technical Education (CTE). Over 76% of community colleges offer some form of distance learning in CTE. Over the years, only a few isolated studies have compared the effectiveness of distance CTE courses to traditional face-to-face courses. Typically, the findings of previous studies indicate no significant differences between the two methods. This study was designed to address the lack of systematic studies of this question. It also examines how student motivation and learning strategies differ for campus-based and online students. Finally, it investigates how online and campus-based courses differ in terms of course interaction, content organization, student support, and transactional distance (i.e., feelings of closeness to the instructor and the program).     

Community College Participation in Distance Learning for Career and Technical Education

This article presents the results of a national study of distance learning in postsecondary career and technical education (CTE). The main purpose of this study was to identify the current status and future trends associated with distance learning in postsecondary CTE. The results show that community colleges are (a) actively involved in the delivery of CTE via distance learning for the purpose of meeting the needs of their diverse student body, (b) more likely to provide credit courses via distance than noncredit courses, and (c) offering few CTE programs fully at a distance.     

A SHORT‐TERM FORECASTING PROCEDURE FOR INSTITUTION ENROLLMENTS

Institutions of higher education are finding that forecasting enrollments is of critical importance in the current environment of steady and declining student populations. Accurate short‐term enrollment forecasts provide valuable information to administrators for budgeting, planning, and (in the case of state supported institutions) negotiating with funding agencies. This research suggests that Box‐Jenkins (ARIMA) models may be used to produce accurate short‐range forecasts of seasonal enrollment data. One‐step ahead (one academic quarter ahead) forecast errors of Full Time Equivalent Students (FTES) for the Virginia Community College System are on the order of 3.6% with errors increasing in magnitue to 5.6% for forecasts one year into the future. The methodology employed in this paper to forecast VCCS enrollments can be adapted easily and inexpensively to forecasting enrollments at other institutions.     

Readiness to Lead: Perspectives of Graduates and Advanced Doctoral Students on Answering the Call to Lead in Community Colleges

Community colleges are facing a shortage in qualified individuals to fill the projected gaps in leadership roles, as the industry is facing an upcoming wave of vacancies due to the retirement of faculty and administrators. This phenomenological, qualitative study explored leadership readiness perspectives of graduates and advanced doctoral students of a cohort-based educational leadership doctoral program. Five doctoral graduates and five advanced doctoral students constituted the participant group for this study. Five themes emerged from the data analyses which include communication, collaboration, leadership, relationships, and support. The findings from this study indicate that the participants value collaborative action and community relationships, support cohort-based stud,; recognize the value of suppor; hold high confidence levels in their leadership ability to address associated leadership challenges, and consider themselves ready to lead.     

Universal Design: A Tool to Help College Students With Asperger's Syndrome Engage on Campus

Transitioning from high school to college is challenging for many students, but for none more so than students with Asperger's syndrome. Colette M. Taylor and Kathryn L. Colvin introduce the concept of universal design as an effective approach to supporting this increasing subpopulation of students.     

Making sense of teaching through metaphors: a review across three studies

The purpose of this paper is to synthesize findings from three studies that have addressed the conceptualization and application of the metaphor construct to the study of teachers and teaching. With respect to the perspectives of elementary and secondary preservice teachers, we specifically examined how the particular metaphors they used indicated conceptualizations of and orientations to classroom life, and how these metaphors influenced teachers' approaches to teaching, curriculum, and their work with pupils. We frame the discussion in light of the larger literature on the relationship of teachers' beliefs and practices as it relates to learning to teach and teacher education. The paper provides implications for linking the research reported with contemporary ideas for teaching and teacher preparation.     

Improving teaching quality and the learning organisation

Abstract

This study applied a learning organisation framework to understand academic departments’ efforts to improve teaching quality. The theoretical framework was generated from literature on learning organisations, organisations devoted to continuous improvement through continuous learning. Research questions addressed relationships among departments’ vision, leadership, knowledge management, communication, learning culture, and teaching improvement. Using survey data collected from department chairs, this study found a positive association between learning organisation behaviours and the improvement of teaching.     

Reflections on higher education and the media

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the use of matrices and strategies in mapping personal (professional) development in an individual’s career. In order to optimise opportunities, identify positive steps, and make impactful career moves, we must first employ strategies to understand and reflect on who we are, where we want to go, and why. Utilising matrices and lived experience, this paper argues that there are ways to maximise what we can give to a given situation, opportunity or challenge to equip us with the skills, mind-set and wherewithal to achieve a greater sense of fulfilment.