The Feasibility of Using Virtual Professional Development to Support Teachers in Making Data-Based Decisions to Improve Students’ Writing

Rubrics can be used to give students targeted feedback on their writing and, therefore, teachers should be able to use them as a type of formative assessment to guide writing instruction. This article describes an exploratory study of how three teachers provided instruction for fourth, fifth, and seventh graders with learning disabilities and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in using a technology-based graphic organizer (TBGO) to compose persuasive essays. Given professional development inclusive of online modules, long-range plans, and virtually facilitated professional learning communities, the teachers used a digital dashboard to (a) monitor students’ writing progress with a genre-specific analytic rubric, (b) target a specific instructional skill, and (c) document their instructional decision(s). The article illustrates how educators can effectively use genre-specific writing rubrics in practice to make data-driven decisions about student writing.     

Building a set of standards for use of regression in the journal of broadcasting & electronic media

Our use of regression has evolved over the last quarter century, much of which should be applauded. This article is meant to begin the process of setting standards for using regression in JOBEM while still allowing room for the evolution to continue. Some uses of regression are commendable — such as the increased use of hierarchical regression. Other practices are inconsistent, and some practices — such as ignoring assumptions — may need to change. Precise use of regression still does not make up for poor study design or measurement.     

Creating Access to Oral Histories in Academic Libraries

Oral histories, a common form of documenting the past, are found in the collections of many academic libraries. As evidenced by a study of Georgia academic libraries conducted in 2007, no standard procedure exists to coordinate access to these materials. Establishing policies and procedures for collecting, acquiring, managing, and providing access to oral histories can greatly enhance their value and usability. Drawing on examples from the program instituted at Columbus State University (CSU), this article outlines a practical strategy that academic libraries, particularly small or medium-sized libraries, can follow as a guideline to ensure that oral histories are made available to the public. This article also raises awareness of the problems inherent in managing access to oral histories and presents some solutions to these problems in an effort to increase standardization among libraries.     

Developing a System of Program Assessment Within Teacher Education: Lessons Learned

Our intention in this article is to present one institution's efforts to take on program assessment and respond to calls for accountability. To do so, the teacher education program simultaneously sought to address the narrowly defined measures called for by policy makers and politicians, while at the same time broadening and expanding outcomes (such as student learning) and the missions, themes, and values of the teacher education program. The following describes the accountability movement in teacher education and then offers the lessons learned within one program developing a system of assessment within teacher education.     

The role of individual motivations in information source use and knowledge concerning divergent topics

A survey (n=280) was conducted to examine the motivational nature of enduring involvement in terms of its relationship to information source usefulness and knowledge. The results of the study indicate that enduring, or personal, involvement is associated with perceptions of greater information source usefulness and high topic knowledge. High involvement also is linked to the use of a smaller group—or repertoire—of information sources that are topic dependent. These findings suggest that highly involved audiences are active information seekers and help to clarify conflicting findings from the media reliance literature concerning the impact of reliance on knowledge.     

Preschoolers’ use of count information to judge relative quantity

We examined preschool children's use of count information in making quantity judgments. Study 1 involved 35 children 3–5 years old using a balance-scale task to judge relative quantity with or without count information provided. Study 2 replicated and extended the exploration as 54 children 3–4 years old judged relative quantity in multiple counting contexts. Children who were given count information successfully used count information in quantity evaluation when visual cues were not useful. Limited experience of counting skills, strategy choice, and limited processing capacity are each discussed as potential explanations. Implications for early childhood practice and teacher education, as well as directions for future research are explored.