The State Report Card for No Child Left Behind Iowa Department of Education, August 2003

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 requires each state to provide an annual report card to inform stakeholders and the public about the progress of students and schools on indicators of student achievement and other information that relates to student success. The State Report Card provides state level data to serve as a comparison for schools and districts as they consider and implement improvement efforts to increase the success for all Iowa students.

Adult Education and Literacy Program, FY2014, December 11, 2014

Adult Education has a rich history in Iowa of providing services that assist adults in improving their skills, achieving their educational goals, and transitioning to further education or employment. Instruction is designed for adults functioning at the lowest levels of basic skills and English language instruction to advanced levels of learning.

Iowa: Education and Workforce Trends through 2025, September 29, 2015

Since the 1980s, education or training beyond high school has become the new minimum threshold for Americans to earn a living wage and attain middle class status. In 1973, only 28 percent of U.S. jobs required education beyond a high school diploma; by 2025, almost two out of three jobs in the nation will require at least some post secondary education or training. Iowa’s economy reflects this national trend and demonstrates a steady increase in the demand for post secondary education and training in the industries that form the mainstay of the national economy.

Debating as a classroom tool for adapting learning outcomes to the European higher education area

The creation of the European Higher Education Area has meant a number of significant changes to the educational structures of the university community. In particular, the new system of European credits has generated the need for innovation in the design of curricula and teaching methods. In this paper, we propose debating as a classroom tool that can help fulfill these objectives by promoting an active student role in learning. To demonstrate the potential of this tool, a classroom experiment was conducted in a bachelor’s degree course in Industrial Economics -Regulation and Competition-, involving a case study in competition policy and incorporating the techniques of a conventional debate -presentation of standpoints, turns, right to reply and summing up-. The experiment yielded gains in student attainment and positive assessments of the subject. In conclusion, the incorporation of debating activities helps students to acquire the skills, be they general or specific, required to graduate successfully in Economics.

Recognition of prior learning in online postgraduate education

The recognition of prior experiential learning (RPEL) involves the assessment ofskills and knowledge acquired by an individual through previous experience, which isnot necessarily related to an academic context. RPEL practices are far from generalisedin higher education, and there is a lack of specific guidelines on how to implement RPLprograms in particular settings, such as management education or online programs. TheRPEL pilot program developed in a Spanish virtual university is used throughout thearticle as the basis for further reflection on the design and implementation of RPEL inonline postgraduate education in the business field. The role of competences as a centraltheoretical foundation for RPEL is explained, and the context and characteristics of theRPEL program described. Special attention is paid to the key elements of the program¿sdesign and to the practical aspects of its implementation. The results of the program areassessed and general conclusions and suggestions for further research are discussed.

Social Networks for learning : wikis, blogs and tagging in education

Fast developments in information and communications technologies and changes in the behaviour of learners demand educational institutions to continuously evaluate their pedagogical approaches to the learning and teaching process, both in face-to-face and virtual classrooms.

Nursing Ethics Education in Finland from the Perspective of Codes of Ethics

The purpose of this study was to analyze nursing ethics education from the perspective of nurses’ codes of ethics in the basic nursing education programmes in polytechnics in Finland with the following research questions: What is known about nurses’ codes in practice and education, what contents of the codes are taught, what teaching and evaluation methods are used, which demographic variables are associated with the teaching, what is nurse educators’ adequacy of knowledge to teach the codes and nursing students’ knowledge of and ability to apply the codes, and what are participants’ opinions of the need and applicability of the codes, and their importance in nursing ethics education. The aim of the study was to identify strengths and possible problem areas in teaching of the codes and nursing ethics in general. The knowledge gained from this study can be used for developing nursing ethics curricula and teaching of ethics in theory and practice. The data collection was targeted to all polytechnics in Finland providing basic nursing education (i.e. Bachelor of Health Care). The target groups were all nurse educators teaching ethics and all graduating nursing students in the academic year of 2006. A total of 183 educators and 214 students from 24 polytechnics participated. The data was collected using a structured questionnaire with four open-ended questions, designed for this study. The data was analysed by SPSS (14.0) and the open-ended questions by inductive content analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. Inferential statistics were used to estimate the differences between the participant groups. The reliability of the questionnaire was estimated with Cronbach’s coefficient alpha. The literature review revealed that empirical research on the codes was scarce, and minimal in the area of education. Teaching of nurses’ codes themselves and the embedded ethical concepts was extensive, teaching of the functions of the codes and related laws and agreements was moderate, but teaching of the codes of other health care professions was modest. Issues related to the nurse-patient relationship were emphasised. Wider social dimensions of the codes were less emphasized. Educators’ and students’ descriptions of teaching emphasized mainly the same teaching contents, but there were statistically significant differences between the groups in that educators assessed their teaching to be more extensive than what students had perceived it had been. T he use of teaching and evaluation methods was rather narrow and conventional. However, educators’ and students’ descriptions of the used methods differed statistically significantly. Students’ knowledge of the codes and their ability to apply them in practice was assessed as mediocre by educators and by students themselves. Most educators assessed their own knowledge of the codes as adequate to teach the codes, as did most of the students. Educators who regarded their knowledge as adequate taught the codes more extensively than those who assessed their knowledge as less adequate. Also students who assessed their educators’ knowledge as adequate perceived the teaching of the codes to be more extensive. Otherwise educators’ and students’ demographic variables had little association with their descriptions of the teaching. According to the participants, nurses need their own codes, and they are also regarded as applicable in practice. The codes are an important element in nursing ethics education, but their teaching needs development. Further research should focus on the organization of ethics teaching in the curricula, the teaching process, and on the evaluation of the effectiveness of ethics education and on educators’ competence. Also the meaning and functions of the codes at all levels of nursing deserve attention. More versatile use of research methods would be beneficial in gaining new knowledge.

Entrepreneurship Education in Basic and Upper Secondary Education – Measurement and Empirical Evidence

The starting point of this study is to direct more attention to the teacher and those entrepreneurship education practices taking place in formal school to find out solutions for more effective promotion of entrepreneurship education. For this objective, the strategy-level aims of entrepreneurship education need to be operationalised into measurable and understandable teacher-level practices. Furthermore, to enable the effective development of entrepreneurship education in basic and upper secondary level education, more knowledge is needed of the state of affairs of entrepreneurship education in teaching. The purpose of the study is to increase the level of understanding of teachers’ entrepreneurship education practices, and through this to develop entrepreneurship education. This study builds on the literature on entrepreneurship education and especially those elements referring to the aims, resources, benefits, methods, and practises of entrepreneurship education. The study comprises five articles highlighting teachers’ role in entrepreneurship education. In the first article the concept of entrepreneurship and the teachers role in reflection upon his/hers approaches to entrepreneurship education are considered. The second article provides a detailed analysis of the process of developing a measurement tool to depict the teachers’ activities in entrepreneurship education. The next three articles highlight the teachers’ role in directing the entrepreneurship education in basic and upper secondary level education. Furthermore, they analyse the relationship between the entrepreneurship education practises and the teachers’ background characteristics. The results of the study suggest a wide range of conclusions and implications. First, in spite of many outspoken aims connected to entrepreneurship education, teachers have not set any aims for themselves. Additionally, aims and results seem to mix. However, it is possible to develop teachers’ target orientation by supporting their reflection skills, and through measurement and evaluation increase their understanding of their own practices. Second, applying a participatory action process it is possible to operationalise teachers’entrepreneurship education practices. It is central to include the practitioners’ perspective in the development of measures to make sure that the concepts and aims of entrepreneurship education are understood. Third, teachers’ demographic or tenure-related background characteristics do not affect their entrepreneurship education practices, but their training related to entrepreneurship education, participation in different school-level or regional planning, and their own capabilities support entrepreneurship education. Fourth, a large number of methods are applied to entrepreneurship education, and the most often used methods were different kinds of discussions, which seem to be an easy, low-threshold way for teachers to include entrepreneurship education regularly in their teaching. Field trips to business enterprises or inviting entrepreneurs to present their work in schools are used fairly seldom. Interestingly, visits outside the school are more common than visitors invited to the school. In line, most of the entrepreneurship education practices take place in a classroom. Therefore it seems to be useful to create and encourage teachers towards more in-depth cooperation with companies (e.g. via joint projects) and to network systematically. Finally, there are plenty of resources available for entrepreneurship education, such as ready-made materials, external stakeholders, support organisations, and learning games, but teachers have utilized them only marginally.

THE ADAPTATION PROCESS AND CHALLENGES OF EDUCATION EXPORT

The purpose of this study is to investigate the challenges of the adaptation process of education export. The research is conducted as a single case study that concentrates on three education export projects. The case company in the research is Team Academy. The study goes through the different forms of education export, the adaptation of education export and the challenges of the education export –process by means of theory and empirical data. The research is carried out as a qualitative research and the method used is a qualitative content analysis. More specifically the research is an abductive content analysis. The research data is collected in four in-depth interviews from Team academy representatives who have been strongly involved in certain education export –project of Team Academy. The research confirms the theory in the challenge of hierarchy, funding and registration issues, and refutes it in the challenge of competition, legislation, different governmental attitudes and knowledge in productization. The main challenges of the adaptation process are related to funding, differences in values, sudden changes, the complex nature of the learning model, concept of time, teamwork as method and accreditation. It is highlighted that in the future operations, anticipating problems that arise from for example cultural differences and differences in values, communication, managing the money flows and the company form is recommended. Future research could continue with investigating the suitable company form for education exports of this kind, and how to stand out and communicate when operating under another institution. It is considered a potential risk that a brand encloses the brand that operates under it.

"Where is the value in education for me?": experiences and perspectives of Ontario secondary students at risk of non-completion of their Ontario Secondary School Diploma /

This study examined students considered at risk of non-completion of their Ontario Secondary School Diploma and aimed to offer insight into the questions, "What factors currently lead to school disconnect" and "How can these factors be addressed?" Eight students currently enrolled in an alternative learning environment participated in the study. Each was asked to take part in two, digitally recorded interviews that were subsequently transcribed by the researcher. The data were then coded and analysed according to specific themes: obstacles, empowerment, goals, views about success, opinions of school, and power of the teacher. From these themes, three broad focus areas emerged that were used to keep the data analysis focused: worldview, school effects, and self-image. Variances between the data collected and ideas presented in the current literature were highlighted as a reminder that when dealing with a human population, we cannot rely on textbook definitions and theory alone.

Co-operative education and the development of self-esteem, an internal locus of control and work habits

This study compared approximately 50 grade 12 students studying In th~ co-operative education mode with approximately 50 grade 12 students studying in a traditional English course. Measures of self-esteem, locus of control and work habits were compared before and at the conclusion of one semester's involvement in the different programs. Using Coopersmith's Self-Esteem Inventory, the students who had chosen to study in the co-operative education mode scored significantly higher than the students in the traditional course. At the end of the semester, the co-operative education students' scores remained significantly higher than the English students'. Although the test showed no sjgnifi~ant changes in self-esteem. anecdotal reports indicated that co-operative education students had increased self-esteem over the semester. No significant differences in locus of control were observed between the two groups at any time. Significant differences in work habits were observed. While both groups had the same number of absences and the same marks before taking these courses, students who were involved in co-operative education had significantly fewer absences and significantly higher marks than the students studying in the traditional course. Anecdotal reports also indicated an improv~ment in work habits for students who had been involved in co-operative education. Recommendations of the study are for further research to determine more exactly how self-esteem and work habits develop in co-operative education students. Also. students. parents, teachers. and administrators need to be made aware of the success of this program.

The status of drama in education in an Ontario school board

Drama in education has been describea- as a valuable pedagogical medium and methodology, enriching child development in the cognitive, skill, affective, and aesthetic domains, and spanning all areas of curriculum ~ oontent. However, despite its considerable versatility and cost-effectiveness, drama appears to maintain low status within the education system of ontario. This thesis investigated teacher perceptions of both the value and status of drama in education in one ontario school board. Data were gathered in the form of an attitude questionnaire, which was devised for the purpose of this research and administered to a stratified cluster sample of 126 teachers employed in the board's elementary schools. These data were then used to examine teacher perceptions based on their knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported behaviour in the classroom. Teacher characteristics of gender, teaching assignment, years experience, and courses taken in drama were also analyzed as potential determinants of teacher attitudes towards drama in education. Results of the study confirmed apparent discrepancy between teacher perceptions of the value of drama and its current educational status. It was indicated that what teachers value most about drama is its capacity to enhance creativity, social skills, empathy, personal growth, and problem-solving ability among students. Teachers attribute its low status both to school and board priorities of time and resources, and to deficiencies in their knowledge and confidence in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of drama in the classroom. Teacher subgroup analysis revealed no significant differences in attitudes towards the status of drama in education; it did, however, suggest that both teachers who have studied drama and teachers with between ten and twenty years experience are most likely to value drama more highly than their colleagues. Recommendations proposed by the study include the provision of increased - time and resource allotment for drama within the elementary curriculum as well as increased teacher training at both faculty of education and board inservice levels.

Teachers' professional learning within communities of mathematics-for-teaching practice

Ontario bansho is an emergent mathematics instructional strategy used by teachers working within communities of practice that has been deemed to have a transformational effect on teachers' professional learning of mathematics. This study sought to answer the following question: How does teachers' implementation of Ontario bansho within their communities of practice inform their professional learning process concerning mathematics-for-teaching? Two other key questions also guided the study: What processes support teachers' professional learning of content-for-teaching? What conditions support teachers' professional learning of content-for-teaching? The study followed an interpretive phenomenological approach to collect data using a purposive sampling of teachers as participants. The researcher conducted interviews and followed an interpretive approach to data analysis to investigate how teachers construct meaning and create interpretations through their social interactions. The study developed a model of professional learning made up of 3 processes, informing with resources, engaging with students, and visualizing and schematizing in which the participants engaged and 2 conditions, ownership and community that supported the 3 processes. The 3 processes occur in ways that are complex, recursive, nonpredictable, and contextual. This model provides a framework for facilitators and leaders to plan for effective, content-relevant professional learning by placing teachers, students, and their learning at the heart of professional learning.

Beyond the mincer equation: the internal rate of return to higher education in Colombia

In order to present an estimation of the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) to higher education in Colombia we take advantage of the methodological approach provided by Heckman, Lochner and Todd (2005). Trying to overcome the criticism that surrounds interpretations of the education coefficient of Mincer equations as being the rate of return to investments in education we develop a more structured approach of estimation, which controls for selection bias, includes more accurate measures of labor income and the role of education costs and income taxes. Our results implied a lower rate of return than the ones found in the Colombian literature and show that the Internal Rate of Return for higher education in Colombia lies somewhere between 0.074 and 0.128. The results vary according to the year analyzed and individual’s gender. This last result reinforces considerations regarding gender discrimination in the Colombian labor market.