Connectionism and learning to read: Steps towards a psychologically plausible model

We consider the prospects and need for a psychologically plausible connectionist model of the development of word recognition skills. We present an outline of the Seidenberg and McClelland (1989) distributed, developmental model of word recognition and naming. We emphasize certain incompatibilities between this model and the assumptions underlying it and psychological evidence from studies of children learning to read. In particular, we emphasize the importance of phonological skills as precursors and facilitators of learning to read. We argue that it may be possible to develop a connectionist model of the development of word recognition skills which, by having a built in knowledge of phonology, will be more consistent with evidence from studies of both normal and dyslexic children.     

An Empirical Investigation of Impact Moderation in Test Construction

This investigation constructed four different kinds of test sections using three methods of test assembly that incorporate the goals of simultaneous moderation of three kinds of impact-gender impact, African-American impact, and Hispanic- American impact. The test sections were administered undetectably to random samples from the appropriate population. The results were evaluated by comparison of the characteristics of moderated sections with those of parallel operational sections. Almost all methods of test assembly produced either moderation of impact in the appropriate direction or no change in impact. Taking impact into account in test assembly tended to lower reliability slightly, raise concurrent validity slightly, and maintain the construct measured by the parallel operational section. It also reduced the relative efficiency for test takers in the middle score range while increasing efficiency for those with more extreme scores.     

Leadership with integrity: A personal perspective

Conclusion In closing, the imperative remains to develop a presidential scorecard that focuses on the elements of leadership that truly further the great work of higher education. The academy requires leaders who are committed to quality, self-renewing change, and integrity in order to weather the current storms of uncertainty and forge a new model for higher academic achievement.The poet, Heinrich Heine, wrote in a letter: When I lately stood with a friend before the Cathedral Amiens, he asked me why we can no longer build such piles. I replied, Dear Alphonse, men in those days had convictions. We moderns have opinions, and it requires something more than an opinion to build a Gothic cathedral. The present and future leaders of America's colleges and universities must have convictions that rival those of the builders of old. Indeed, the work to be done transcends mere bricks, mortar, flesh, and blood. The mind is the agent and the object of our labors; it is both scaffold and structure, chisel and stone, giving shape and substance to human achievement. If the work of the academy is to stand the test of time, the construction must be sound-the builders must build with integrity.Charles J. McClain is currently Commissioner of Higher Education for the state of Missouri. He has held a variety of positions in a long and distinguished career in education. He has been teacher, principal, superintendent, and university president. He founded Jefferson College in 1963 and was president of Northeast Missouri State University for 20 years.     

Building Multicultural Awareness in University Students Using Synchronous Technology

To explore the potential for building multicultural awareness in university students using synchronous technology, faculty members from an American regional state university and a Chinese regional university collaborated to find appropriate ways to integrate synchronous technology (e.g., Adobe Connect) into a teacher education program in the American university and in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) program in China. The paper reports the collaborative efforts during the spring 2016 semester using Adobe Connect to enrich student learning at both sites. This report includes the project overview, project implementation, its evaluation framework, and initial findings.     

Online teaching competencies in observational rubrics: what are institutions evaluating?

Evaluation of online instructors is a developing field of research. Institutions have made great progress in recent years to refine their efforts to evaluate online teaching in order to improve online teaching. Some institutions, however, still struggle to evaluate online instructors who did not design the course they are teaching. The purpose of this study was to identify some of the most important observable teaching behaviors identified in evaluation rubrics and how these compare to established online teaching competencies. Findings indicate that there is a growing consensus of what are the most important, observable teaching behaviors, and that this can help improve existing models of online teaching competencies.     

The adoption of student-centered teaching materials as a professional development experience for college faculty

Efforts to promote the use of student-centered learning environments in STEM education have been tempered by a lack of professional development strategies that help faculty overcome common barriers to reform. This study investigated the impact that adopting a suite of student-centered teaching materials had on the teaching practices and beliefs of eight geoscience faculty at a variety of US institutions. Each instructor adopted 18 class lessons that were developed as part of the InTeGrate (Interdisciplinary Teaching about the Earth for a Sustainable Future) project into a semester-long course. The Teaching Practices Inventory (TPI) and Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) were used to collect data on teaching practices whereas instructor beliefs were captured with the Teacher Beliefs Interview (TBI). Data were collected over three semesters, a control semester using traditional materials, a pilot semester using the new materials, and a final treatment semester. While the TPI survey showed no self-reported changes in the practices, RTOP observations recorded the incorporation of more student-centered teaching practices. TBI results confirm that most of the instructors also made at least moderate shifts toward more student-centered beliefs about teaching and learning. These findings demonstrate that the adoption of well-crafted, student-centered instructional materials can have a positive impact on both the teaching practices and beliefs of college faculty.