The Pursuit of Excellence: An Analysis of the Honors College Application and Enrollment Decision for a Large Public University

Honors colleges housed in public universities began only in the last half century, but have become nearly ubiquitous over the last 20?years. This paper, using recent data from the oldest stand-alone honors college in the country, is the first to study how the application and enrollment decisions of honors college students differ from the general population of students considering a large public university. Overall, the empirical results suggest that honors college applicants and enrollees are drawn from the right-tail of its host institution??s ability distribution, independent of residency status. Nonetheless, honors-college applicants are still more likely to enroll in selective and liberal arts institutions than the general pool of admits to a large public university, which is only partially offset by the effect of honors-college admission. It follows that honors colleges enroll academically stronger, but not the strongest, admits to a large public university.     

Construction of an Inexpensive Response Timer

Abstract

The previous paper by Professors Hutton and Doolittle uses a rather controversial methodology for evaluating electromyography signals. Of course one of the purposes of “Research Notes” is to publish approaches that are non-traditional. However, I felt it was important to identify questions that might be raised about Hutton and Doolittle's methodology. Thus, I requested the following short response by Professor Yates and then a response by Hutton and Doolittle. I invite additional responses to either Hutton or Doolittle and Yates.

Jerry R. Thomas

Editor-in-Chief     

An analysis of book versus article productivity based on top researchers careers

This study analyzed the productivity of top scholars in the field in terms of published books in order to (1) equate the relative value of published books in comparison to published research articles, and (2) provide a scholarship ranking which takes into consideration both published books and published research articles. The list of the top 102 researchers in the field, as identified by Hickson, Stacks, and Bodon (1999) and 29 additional researchers identified by Funkhouser (1996) as the top “most cited”; researchers served as the parameters for this study. The total number of articles from those researchers (2,687) was divided by the number of books they had written (426), producing an article‐to‐book ratio of 6.3. Each book was multiplied by that coefficient and that number was added to the number of articles for each author to produce a ranking of the top 100 prolific researchers in communication, based on a combination of both articles and books published.     

A Model for Media Education Research in Russia and the US

This paper briefly outlines key similarities and differences in approaches to media education in Russia and the US, followed by explication of a suggested approach to improving research on the means of introducing media education concepts to adolescents in cross‐cultural public school settings. Although much has been written about the value of media education in schools, there is little research evidence regarding the effectiveness of specific media education concepts or methods. There is little evidence that media education curricula have actually been adopted beyond very limited trials in a few schools. The authors propose a model for research on media education that focuses on the identification of effective learning strategies for media education, as well as the integration of effective methods for teaching such strategies in public schools.

Un modèle de recherche sur l’éducation médias en Russie et aux Etats Unis. Cet exposé se réfère aux ressemblances et différences de l’éducation médias en Russie et aux Etats Unis, suivi par l’explication de quelle manière il est possible d’améliorer la recherche sur les moyens de faire connaître les concepts d’éducation médias aux adolescents dans les écoles publiques des milieux interculturels. Bien que beaucoup a été écrit sur la valeur de l’éducation médias en classe, il n’y a que peu de preuves de recherches concernant l’efficacité de concepts ou de méthodes spécifiques d’éducation médias. Il est évident que les programmes scolaires d’éducation médias n’ont été adoptés en réalité que par quelques écoles avec des essais très limités. Les auteurs proposent un modèle de recherche sur l’éducation médias qui se concentre sur l’identification de stratégies de formation effectives pour l’éducation médias, ainsi que l’integration de méthodes effectives d’enseigner ces stratégies dans les écoles publiques.

Ein Modell für Medienerziehungsforschung in Rußland und den USA. Dieses Papier umreißt kurz zentrale Ähnlichkeiten und Unterschiede im Ansatz zur Medienerziehung in Rußland und den USA, gefolgt von der Erläuterung eines empfohlenen Ansatzes, Forschung dadurch zu verbessern, Medienbildungskonzepte für Jugendliche in interkulturellen Public Schools zu berücksichtigen. Obwohl viel über den Wert von Medienbildung in Schulen geschrieben worden ist, gibt es nur geringe Forschungsbeweise über die Wirksamkeit bestimmter Medienbildungskonzepte oder Methoden. Es gibt wenig Beweise, dass Lehrpläne für Medienerziehung tatsächlich – außer während sehr beschränkter Versuchsphasen – von einigen Schulen übernommen worden sind. Die Autoren schlagen ein Modell für Forschung über Medienbildung vor, das sich auf die Identifizierung wirksamer Lernstrategien für Medienbildung konzentriert, als auch auf die Integration effektiver Methoden, solche Strategien in Öffentlichen Schulen zu lehren.     

Activating a Teaching Philosophy in Social Work Education: Articulation,Implementation, and Evaluation

This article describes how to develop a comprehensive teaching philosophy from articulation through implementation to evaluation. Using literature and teaching-learning experiences, we discuss pragmatic steps for using a teaching philosophy to inform, engage, and evaluate teaching-learning. We promote an integrated teaching philosophy to ensure competent practice in social work education.     

IDENTIFYING INFLUENTIAL FACILITATORS OF MATHEMATICS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: A SURVEY ANALYSIS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

This paper builds on results from a previous phenomenological study examining characteristics of influential facilitators of elementary mathematics professional development. The current study utilized a survey design where results from the qualitative investigation were quantitized to develop an instrument that allowed participants to identify qualities of facilitators that are necessary to motivate teachers to be engaged in professional development sessions related to mathematics at the elementary level. This paper describes the instrument development process and results when implemented to a sample of teachers in the USA (n = 565). Findings from this research indicate that participants share the same perceptions of what it means to be an influential facilitator as participants from the phenomenological investigation of facilitator characteristics.     

把握当下:为学术图书馆的未来而定义

图书馆员如果想依然守护和传承一代又一代人的文化成就,就应当肩负起未来信息收藏和提供获取途径的责任。本文探讨学术图书馆作为学术机构教、学、研重要组成部分所面临的种种挑战,并重点谈及图书馆正在经历的急速变化,以及面对这些变化,大型学术图书馆将如何与院系合作共同促进信息的获取,从而激发学术的创新和发展。     

Neuroscience in middle schools: a professional development and resource program that models inquiry-based strategies and engages teachers in classroom implementation

The Department of Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota and the Science Museum of Minnesota have developed and implemented a successful program for middle school (grades 5-8) science teachers and their students, called Brain Science on the Move. The overall goals have been to bring neuroscience education to underserved schools, excite students about science, improve their understanding of neuroscience, and foster partnerships between scientists and educators. The program includes BrainU, a teacher professional development institute; Explain Your Brain Assembly and Exhibit Stations, multimedia large-group presentation and hands-on activities designed to stimulate student thinking about the brain; Class Activities, in-depth inquiry-based investigations; and Brain Trunks, materials and resources related to class activities. Formal evaluation of the program indicated that teacher neuroscience knowledge, self-confidence, and use of inquiry-based strategies and neuroscience in their classrooms have increased. Participating teachers increased the time spent teaching neuroscience and devoted more time to "inquiry-based" teaching versus "lecture-based teaching." Teachers appreciated in-depth discussions of pedagogy and science and opportunities for collegial interactions with world-class researchers. Student interest in the brain and in science increased. Since attending BrainU, participating teachers have reported increased enthusiasm about teaching and have become local neuroscience experts within their school communities.     

Examining the feminisation of migration concept for adult education

The feminisation of migration is absent in policy and programmatic discourses on adult education in the USA and England. This paper uses an intersectional framework and feminist transnational methodology to probe this concept and its implications for women migrants and their education and advancement.