Accompagnement de l'élève de 16 à 24 ans en formation générale des adultes du Québec et réussite au sein de l'école

Afin d’enrichir les outils en matière de solution au décrochage scolaire, cette recherche s’intéresse à l’accompagnement de l’élève et à la réussite au sein de l’école. Elle se déroule dans le cadre de la formation générale des adultes (FGA) âgés de 16 à 24 ans et fréquentant les centres d’éducation des adultes du Québec (CÉA). L’objectif général est de décrire ce qui se fait comme pratiques d’accompagnement de l’élève pour la réussite tout en identifiant les caractéristiques et les objectifs de ces pratiques. Pour ce faire, trois questions de recherche ont été étudiées à savoir : 1) que se fait-il comme pratiques d’accompagnement en FGA, 2) quels sont les objectifs poursuivis par ces pratiques et, enfin, 3) quelles sont les caractéristiques de ces pratiques? Cette étude s’appuie sur l’approche de la sociologie de l'éducation de François Dubet (1994) et propose d’examiner trois dimensions (pédagogique, personnelle et sociale) et sept formes de pratiques d’accompagnement de l’élève : le tutorat, le counseling, le compagnonnage, l’entraide par les pairs, le mentorat, le cybermentorat et les pratiques pédagogiques des enseignants. La démarche étant d’établir un ensemble de pratiques d’accompagnement de l’élève comme il se présente dans le milieu, puisque toutes les pratiques d'accompagnement n’avaient pas été, avant notre recherche, répertoriées en tant que telles. Les résultats obtenus permettent de constater la présence d’un déploiement important de plusieurs pratiques d’accompagnement de l’élève en FGA incluant les pratiques pédagogiques des enseignants. En effet, le tutorat et le counseling sont deux pratiques qui obtiennent des scores importants. De plus, il aura été possible de documenter de façon assez complète les pratiques pédagogiques des enseignantes dites « d’accompagnement de l’élève » et de comprendre l’articulation de l’ensemble de ces pratiques avec la réussite de l’élève au sein de l’école. Au terme de cette recherche, deux sources de connaissances ont été mises en évidence. D’abord, la première découle des composantes issues du modèle théorique à l’étude, ensuite, la deuxième concerne l’explicitation des pratiques pédagogiques des enseignants. Dans les deux cas, les résultats, ainsi que les analyses, révèlent le caractère central de la dimension pédagogique dans l’accompagnement de l’élève en FGA, ce qui nous renvoie à l’importante contribution, en matière d’accompagnement de l’élève en FGA, de l’enseignant, puisque ce dernier inclut l’accompagnement de l’élève dans l’acte même d’enseigner.

Insights from youth workers regarding young people's engagement in out-of-school-time youth development programs

L’objectif de cette étude exploratoire était de mieux comprendre, du point de vue des animateurs/animatrices qui oeuvrent auprès des jeunes, le phénomène de l’engagement des jeunes dans les programmes parascolaires. Des entretiens qualitatifs ont été entrepris à cette fin avec six animateur(trices). Plusieurs obstacles à l’engagement ont été identifiés, la plupart étant extérieurs aux jeunes. Quelques actions et attitudes spécifiques des animateur(trices) ont été relevées comme importantes pour aider les jeunes à surmonter ces obstacles. De plus, la structure et le contenu du programme, ainsi que l’environnement de groupe, jouent des rôles primordiaux. Les dimensions soulevées par les animateur(trices) ont permis d’enrichir et rendre plus holistique un modèle d’engagement qui a été développé à partir d’une recension des écrits dans ce domaine. Finalement, les implications pour la formation des animateurs(trices) et pour la structure des programmes pour les jeunes ont été explorées.

Integração do ensino médio e técnico: percepções de alunos do Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará – IFPA/Campus Castanhal

Esta dissertação intitulada “Integração do ensino médio e técnico: percepções de alunos do Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia – IFPA/Campus Castanhal”, apresenta como questão norteadora: O que os estudantes percebem nas estratégias de ensino praticadas no curso, que os levam a tirar conclusões sobre realizações e limitações na operacionalização da integração do ensino? Seu objetivo geral é analisar a partir da percepção de alunos, do terceiro ano do curso Técnico em Agropecuária Integrado do IFPA/Castanhal se as estratégias de ensino praticadas pelos professores estão possibilitando operacionalizar a integração do ensino médio com a educação profissional. Para tal, sistematizamos os princípios e fundamentos norteadores da proposta de Ensino Médio Integrado que constam nos estudos dedicados ao assunto, bem como no Documento Base do MEC (2007). Verificamos as estratégias de ensino integrado anunciadas no Plano do Curso Técnico em Agropecuária Integrado do IFPA/Castanhal e Relatórios Pedagógicos (2006 e 2007), em seguida foram analisadas as percepções de estudantes quanto às práticas operacionalizadas no referido curso. No percurso teórico metodológico recorreu-se a referenciais que adotam o materialismo histórico-dialético como método de análise dos dados. A coleta de dados foi precedida de revisão bibliográfica, seguida da pesquisa de campo com a realização de entrevistas semi estruturadas com oito (08) estudantes oriundos de três (03) turmas do terceiro ano do curso. Os resultados revelam o terreno contraditório no qual o Ensino Médio Integrado foi implantado: O IFPA/Castanhal realizou algumas ações (palestras, debates e reflexões) mediante encontros pedagógicos no intuito de inserção da proposta de Ensino Médio Integrado no referido curso, porém muito longe do objetivo ao qual se destina; evidenciam-se iniciativas de alguns professores em vincular o ensino médio com o técnico mediante a estratégia da interdisciplinaridade. Observaram-se limites que dificultaram a efetivação do ensino integrado como: A justaposição de dois cursos realizados em dois turnos com uma carga horária excessiva; os recursos infra- estruturais disponíveis restringiram aulas práticas; escassa interação entre os professores na operacionalização das estratégias de integração do ensino e não inclusão do coletivo escolar na construção da proposta do curso. Como conclusão destaca-se a presença da dualidade educacional (educação geral e técnica) no curso e romper com esta realidade requer a superação de vários obstáculos, dentre eles: Os de natureza estrutural e material; modificações na estrutura organizacional da Instituição escolar; envolvimento, compromisso político e postura coerente dos docentes, técnicos educacionais, gestores e dirigentes das redes de ensino federal. O Instituto necessita pensar na proposta de formação continuada do corpo técnico e docente na perspectiva do ensino integrado, necessita consultar seus estudantes, ouvi-los em suas necessidades formativas, para tanto se faz necessário criar estratégias de integração da escola à comunidade para que possam discutir e organizar as ações escolares de forma coletiva e construir objetivos comuns fundamentais à operacionalização do Ensino Médio Integrado.

Na 1 Nachlass Max Horkheimer, 656 - Dokumente zur Geschichte des Instituts für Sozialforschung (p. IX 49a-IX 55.1-5)

Max Horkheimer: Über Wissenschaft und Technologie in Israel. Begrüßungsrede für Mr. Ben Sira, gehalten am 8.1.1949; 1. Notizen zur Rede, 10 Blatt; 2. David Ben Gurion, "Science and Technology in Israel", Sonderdruck, 2 Blatt; Über die Antisemitismus-Forschungen des Instituts für Sozialforschung. Protokoll einer Sitzung der Frankfurter Gesellschaft für Christlich-Jüdische Zusammenarbeit, 16.Mai 1949. Typoskript (Kopie), 2 Blatt; Max Horkheimer: Über Arbeit und Pläne des Instituts für Sozialforschung in Frankfurt. Vortrag, gehalten 1949 in Frankfurt (Clubabend). Manuskript, 3 Blatt; Zur Begründung eines Instituts für Sozialforschung, 1922; 1. Senckenbergische Naturforschende Gesellschaft, Frankfurt: 1 Brief mit Unterschrift (Kopie) an die Universität Frankfurt, Kuratorium, Frankfurt, 22.8.1922; 2. Felix Weil und Kurt Albert Gerlach: "Denkschrift über die Begründung eines Instituts für Sozialforschung" (1922). Typoskript (Kopie), 5 Blatt; Carl Grünberg: Festrede, gehalten zur Einweihung des Instituts für Sozialforschung an der Universität Frankfurt am Main, am 22.6.1924. a) Kopie (Auszug) aus dem Abdruck der Rede in Frankfurter Universitätsreden 1924, 3 Blatt b) Sonderdruck Frankfurter Universitätsreden 1924, 16 Seiten; Darstellungen des Instituts für Sozialforschung (1925-51); 1. Gesellschaft für Sozialforschung, Frankfurt: "Institut für Sozialforschung an der Universität Frankfurt am Main". Sonderdruck (Kopie), Frankfurt, 1925, 29 Seiten; 1a. Hermann Weil: "Bericht über das Heimatfest in Waibstadt am 3. und 4. September und die feierliche Übergabge meines Mausoleums in den Schutz der Stadt Waibstadt". Sonderdruck, 1927, 7 Seiten; 1b. Felix Weil, 1 Brief mit Unterschrift (Kopie) an den Minister für Wissenschaft, Kunst und Volksbildung Berlin. Frankfurt, 1.11.1929, Typoskript, 31 Blatt; 1c. Columbia University: "Report of the President of Columbia University for 1934" (darin S.7: Erwähnung des Instituts für Sozialforschung und der Zeitschrift für Sozialforschung), Sonderdruck, New York, 1934, 80 Seiten; 2. "International Institute of Social Research: A short Description of Its History and Aims", New York 1935, Sonderdruck, 15 Seiten; 3. Briefbogen des Instituts für Sozialforschung mit den Namen des Research Staff und des Advisory Committee, 1 Blatt; 4. "International Institute of Social Research. A Report On Its History, Aims and Activities 1933-1938". Sonderdruck, New York 1939, 36 Seiten; 5. "Research Bureau For Post-War Economics and Its Cooperating Institutions. Annual Repost", Sonderdruck, New York, Mai 1939, 17 Seiten; 5a. Los Angeles University of Applied Education: "General Catalogue 1947-48" (mit Erwähnungen des Instituts für Sozialforschung bzw. von Mitarbeitern), Druck, 56 Seiten; 6. Einladung zur Eröffnung des Instituts für Sozialforschung am 14. November 1951. Sonderdruck, Frankfurt 1951, 2 Blatt; Über das Institut für Sozialforschung 1924-31. Tabellarische Zusammenstellung, 1931, Typoskript mit eigenhändigen und handschriftlichen Ergänzungen, 5 Blatt; Max Horkheimer: "Die gegenwärtige Lage der Sozialphilosophie und die Aufgaben eines Instituts für Sozialforschung". Öffentliche Antrittsvorlesung bei Übernahme des Lehrstuhls für Sozialphilosophie und der Leitung des Instituts für Sozialforschung, 24.1.1931, Kopie (Auszug) aus dem Abdruck der Rede in Frankfurter Universitätsreden 1931, 4 Blatt; "History and Program of the Institute of Social Research". Veröffentlicht unter dem Titel "International Institute of Social Research. A Short Description of Its History and Aims", New York (1934 od. 1935), Typoskript, 6 Blatt.; "A Digest of the History, Program and Needs of the International Institute of Social Research". 1934, als Typoskript vervielfältigt, 4 Blatt; Julian Gumperz: "Notes for a talk", Über Ziele und Methoden der Arbeit des Instituts für Sozialforschung, 1934. Typoskript mit handschriftlicher Korrektur, 10 Blatt; "Report of the President of Columbia University for the year ending June 30, 1934".Auszug daraus, 1934, Typoskript, 1 Blatt; Über Geschichte und Tätigkeiten des Instituts für Sozialforschung. Verschiedene Berichte, ca. 1934-1937: 1. Über Geschichte, Tätigkeiten und Ziele des Instituts, nicht vor 1934, Typoskript, 5 Blatt; 2. Bericht an den Präsidenten der Columbia University, 14.3.1936, Typoskript, 2 Blatt; 3. "Dr. Horkheimer's Paper Delivered on the Occasion of an Institute Luncheon Given to the Faculty of Social Sciences of Columbia University on January 12th, 1937". Typoskript, 13 Blatt; 4. Bericht an den Präsidenten der Columbia University. 18.3.1937, Typoskript, 3 Blatt; 5. Über Programm, Mitglieder und Tätigkeiten des Instituts, 1937, a) Typoskript, 2 Blatt, b) Entwurf, Typoskript, 4 Blatt; 6. Publikationsliste 1937, Typoskript, 1 Blatt; Über "Autorität und Familie" und die "Zeitschrift für Sozialforschung". 1937, Typoskript, französisch, mit eigenhändigen Korrekturen, 4 Blatt; Max Horkheimer: Über das Institut für Sozialforschung 1938: 1. Typoskript, englische Fassung, mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 38 Blatt; 2. Typoskript, deutsche Fassung mit eigenhändigen Korrekturen, 37 Blatt (G.S. 12, S. 132-164); 3. Julian Gumperz: 1 Brief an Herbert Marcuse, New York, 30.8.1938; 4. Teilstück aus früherer Fassung (?), Typoskript, 1 Blatt, 5. Entwurf zu 2., a) Typoskript, 1 Blatt, b) Typoskript mit eigenhändigen Korrekturen und Ergänzungen, 2 Blatt;

The development, application, and implications of a strategy for reflective learning from experience

The problem on which this study focused was individuals' reduced capacity to respond to change and to engage in innovative learning when their reflective learning skills are limited. In this study, the preceding problem was addressed by two primary questions: To what degree can mastery of a strategy for reflective learning be facilitated as a part of an academic curriculum for professional practitioners? What impact will mastery of this strategy have on the learning style and adaptive flexibility of adult learners? The focus of the study was a direct application of human resource development technology in the professional preparation of teachers. The background of the problem in light of changing global paradigms and educational action orientations was outlined and a review of the literature was provided. Roots of thought for two key concepts (i.e., learning to learn from experience and meaningful reflection in learning) were traced. Reflective perspectives from the work of eight researchers were compared. A meta-model of learning from experience drawn from the literature served as a conceptual framework for the study. A strategy for reflective learning developed from this meta-model was taught to 109 teachers-in-training at Florida International University in Miami, Florida. Kolb's Adaptive Style Inventory and Learning Style Inventory were administered to the treatment group and to two control groups taught by the same professor. Three research questions and fourteen hypotheses guided data analysis. Qualitative review of 1565 personal documents generated by the treatment group indicated that 77 students demonstrated "double-loop" learning, going beyond previously established limits to perception, understanding, or action. The mean score for depth of reflection indicated "single-loop" learning with "reflection-in-action" present. The change in the mean score for depth of reflection from the beginning to end of the study was statistically significant (p $<$.05). On quantitative measures of adaptive flexibility and learning style, with two exceptions, there were no significant differences noted between treatment and control groups on pre-test to post-test differences and on post-test mean scores adjusted for pre-test responses and demographic variables. Conclusions were drawn regarding treatment, instrumentation, and application of the strategy and the meta-model. Implications of the strategy and the meta-model for research, for education, for human resource development, for professional practice, and for personal growth were suggested. Qualitative training materials and Kolb's instruments were provided in the appendices.

The effect of bilingual representation in prose reading on explicit and implicit memory

Chinese-English bilingual students were randomly assigned to three reading conditions: In the English-English (E-E) condition (n = 44), a text in English was read twice; in the English-Chinese (E-C) condition (n = 30), the English text was read first and its Chinese translation was read second; in the Chinese-English (C-E) condition (n = 30), the Chinese text was read first and English second. An expected explicit memory test on propositions in the format of sentence verification was given followed by an unexpected implicit memory test on unfamiliar word-forms.^ Analyses of covariance were conducted with explicit and implicit memory scores as the dependent variables, reading condition (bilingual versus monolingual) as the independent variable, and TOEFL reading score as the covariate.^ The results showed that the bilingual reading groups outperformed the monolingual reading group on explicit memory tested by sentence-verification but not on implicit memory tested by forced-choice word-identification, implying that bilingual representation facilitates explicit memory of propositional information but not implicit memory of lexical forms. The findings were interpreted as consistent with separate bilingual memory-storage models and the implications of such models in the study of cognitive structures were discussed in relationship to issues of dual coding theory, multiple memory systems, and the linguistic relativity philosophy. ^

The effect of young adult literature on adolescents' rape myth acceptance

This quasi-experimental study (N = 139) measured the effect of a reader response based instructional unit of the novel Speak on adolescents' rape myth acceptance. Participants were eighth grade language arts students at a Title I middle school in a major metropolitan school district. Seven classes were randomly assigned to treatment ( n = 4) or control (n = 3) condition. Two teachers participated in the study and both taught both treatment and control classes. The study lasted a period of five weeks. Participants were pretested using the Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (Burt, 1980) and a researcher created scale, the Adolescent Date Rape Scale (ADRMS). Analysis of pretests showed the ADRMS to be a reliable and valid measure of rape myth acceptance in adolescents. Factor analysis revealed it to have two major components: "She Wanted It" and "She Lied." Pretests supported previous studies which found girls to have significantly lower initial levels of rape myth acceptance than boys (p < .001). A 2 (group) x 2 (instructor) x 2 (sex) ANCOVA using ADRMS pretest as a covariate and ADRMS posttest as a dependent variable found that treatment was effective in reducing rape myth acceptance (p < .001, η2 = .15). Boys with high rape myth acceptance as demonstrated by pretest scores of 1 standard deviation above the mean on ADRMS did not have a backlash to treatment. Extended analysis revealed that participants had significantly lower scores posttest on Factor 1, "She Wanted It" (p < .001, η2 = .27), while scores on Factor 2, "She Lied" were not significantly lower (p = .07). This may be because the content of the novel primarily deals with issues questioning whether the main characters assault was a rape rather than a false accusation. Attrition rates were low (N = 15) and attrition analysis showed that drop outs did not significantly alter the treatment or control groups. Implications for reader response instruction of young adult literature, for research on rape myth acceptance in secondary schools, and for statistical analysis of effect size using pretests as filters are discussed.

The relationship between educational placement, instructional practices, and achievement gains of Black students with specific learning disabilities in secondary urban school settings

Black students, in general, are underserved academically (Darling-Hammond, 2000; Townsend, 2002) and overrepresented in special education (Donovan & Cross, 2002). Black students with disabilities are further overrepresented in more restrictive educational environments (Skiba, Poloni-Staudinger, Gallini, Simmons & Feggins-Azziz, 2006). Although the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 (NLTS2) revealed that the academic performance of students with learning disabilities is positively related to the percentage of courses taken in the general education setting (Newman, 2006), the research specifically on placement of Black students with disabilities, particularly at the secondary level, as it relates to academic achievement is lacking. While previous studies have sought to determine which placement is better for students with disabilities, no study was found that specifically examined the impact of placement specific to Black students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) in urban settings (Fore, III, Hagan-Burke, Burke, Boon & Smith, 2008; Rea, McLaughlin & Walther-Thomas, 2002). This study examined educational placement, instructional best practices, and achievement gains of Black students with SLD in urban secondary settings using an ex post facto research design. Achievement, placement, and demographic data were collected and analyzed on approximately 314 Black eighth grade students with SLD. The Teacher Instructional Practices Survey was developed and used to collect and analyze data from the teachers of 78 of these students as it relates to instructional best practices. Results indicate no significant difference in reading but a significant difference in math gains of students served in inclusive settings as compared to resource settings with a small effect size. Also, no significant relationship was found between achievement gains and the reported use of instructional best practices. However, there was a relationship between educational placement and the use of instructional best practices. The results implied that there is a need for training with both general and special education teachers on instructional best practices for SWD and that there should be certain IEP team considerations when making placement decisions for this population of students with disabilities. It is recommended that future research in this area include classroom observations and factors other than test scores to measure growth in achievement.

The effect of reciprocal mapping on high-risk sixth-grade students' social studies achievement

Reading deficits in students in Grades 4 to 12 are evident in American schools. Informational text is particularly difficult for students. This quasi-experimental study (N=138) investigated sixth-grade students' achievement in social studies using the Reciprocal Mapping instructional routine, compared to sixth-grade students' achievement taught with a traditional approach. The Reciprocal Mapping instructional routine incorporated explicit instruction in text structure using graphic organizers. Students created their own graphic organizers and used them to write about social studies content. The comparison group used a traditional approach, students' reading the textbook and answering questions. Students for this study included sixth-graders in the seven sixth-grade classrooms in two public schools in a small, rural south Florida school district. A focus of this study was to determine the helpfulness of the intervention for at-risk readers. To determine students considered to be at-risk, the researcher used data from the reading portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), 2011-2012, that considers Level 1 and 2 as at-risk readers. The quasi-experimental study used a pretest-posttest control group design, with students assigned to treatment groups by class. Two teachers at the two rural sites were trained on the Reciprocal Mapping instructional routine and taught students in both the experimental and control groups for an equivalent amount of time over a 5-week period. Results of the 3 x 2 factorial ANCOVA found a significant positive difference favoring the experimental group's social studies achievement as compared to that of the comparison group as measured by the pre/post unit test from the social studies series (McGraw-Hill, 2013), when controlling for initial differences in students' reading FCAT scores. Interactions for high-risk struggling readers were investigated using the significance level p < .05. Due to no significant interaction the main effects of treatment were interpreted. The pretest was used as a covariate and the multivariate analysis was found to be significant. Therefore, analysis of covariance was run on each of the dependent variable as a follow-up. Reciprocal Mapping was found to be significant in posttest scores, independent of gender and level of risk, and while holding the pretest scores constant. Findings showed there was a significant difference in the performance of the high-risk reading students taught with the Reciprocal Mapping intervention who scored statistically better than students in the control group. Further study findings showed that teacher fidelity of implementation of the treatment had a statistically significant relationship in predicting posttest scores when controlling for pretest scores. Study results indicated that improving students' use of text structure through the Reciprocal Mapping instructional routine positively supported sixth-grade students' social studies achievement.

A Q-Methodology approach to investigating the relationship between level of reflection and typologies among prospective teachers in the physics learning assistant program at Florida International University

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to understand physics Learning Assistants' (LAs) views on reflective teaching, expertise in teaching, and LA program teaching experience and to determine if views predicted level of reflection evident in writing. Interviews were conducted in Phase One, Q methodology was used in Phase Two, and level of reflection in participants' writing was assessed using a rubric based on Hatton and Smith's (1995) "Criteria for the Recognition of Evidence for Different Types of Reflective Writing" in Phase Three. Interview analysis revealed varying perspectives on content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and experience in relation to expertise in teaching. Participants revealed that they engaged in reflection on their teaching, believed reflection helps teachers improve, and found peer reflection beneficial. Participants believed teaching experience in the LA program provided preparation for teaching, but that more preparation was needed to teach. Three typologies emerged in Phase Two. Type One LAs found participation in the LA program rewarding and believed expertise in teaching does not require expertise in content or pedagogy, but it develops over time from reflection. Type Two LAs valued reflection, but not writing reflections, felt the LA program teaching experience helped them decide on non-teaching careers and helped them confront gaps in their physics knowledge. Type Three LAs valued reflection, believed expertise in content and pedagogy are necessary for expert teaching, and felt LA program teaching experience increased their likelihood of becoming teachers, but did not prepare them for teaching. Writing assignments submitted in Phase Three were categorized as 19% descriptive writing, 60% descriptive reflections, and 21% dialogic reflections. No assignments were categorized as critical reflection. Using ordinal logistic regression, typologies that emerged in Phase Two were not found to be predictors for the level of reflection evident in the writing assignments. In conclusion, viewpoints of physics LAs were revealed, typologies among them were discovered, and their writing gave evidence of their ability to reflect on teaching. These findings may benefit faculty and staff in the LA program by helping them better understand the views of physics LAs and how to assess their various forms of reflection.

Effects of sex, third grade reading achievement and motivation as predictors of fourth grade reading achievement of Hispanic students: A path analysis

This study explored the topic of motivation for intermediate students combining both an objective criterion measure (i.e., standardized test scores) and the self-report of students on self-concept and value of reading. The purpose of this study was to examine how third grade reading achievement correlated with the motivation of fourth grade boys and girls, and, in turn, how motivation related to fourth grade reading achievement. The participants were fourth grade students (n=207) attending two public, elementary schools in Miami-Dade County who were of primarily Hispanic origin or descent. Data were collected using the Reading Survey portion of the Motivation to Read Profile (1996) which measures self-concept and value of reading in order to measure motivation and the Third and Fourth Grade Reading Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests 2.0 (FCAT 2.0) to assess achievement. First, a one way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was conducted to determine whether motivation differed significantly between fourth grade boys and girls. Second, a path analysis was used to determine whether motivation mediated or moderated the association between FCAT 2.0 third and fourth grade scores. Results of the ANOVA indicated that motivation, as measured by the Motivation to Read Profile did not differ significantly by sex. Results from the path analysis indicated that the model was significant and that third grade FCAT 2.0 scores accounted for a significant amount of the variance in fourth grade FCAT 2.0 scores once motivation was entered. Results of the study demonstrated that motivation partially mediates, but does not moderate the relationship between FCAT 2.0 third and fourth grade scores. In conclusion, it can be determined that past student achievement for fourth grade students plays a role in current student achievement when motivation is also considered. It is therefore important in order to improve the quality of fourth grade student's current performance to take into account a student's motivation and past achievement. An effort must be made to address students' motivational needs whether through school wide programs or at the classroom level in addition or in conjunction with cognition. Future research on the effect of self-concept in reading achievement is recommended.

The relationship between scaffolding metacognitive strategies identified through dialogue journals and second graders' reading comprehension, science achievement, and metacognition using expository text

Poor informational reading and writing skills in early grades and the need to provide students more experience with informational text have been identified by research as areas of concern. Wilkinson and Son (2011) support future research in dialogic approaches to investigate the impact dialogic teaching has on comprehension. This study (N = 39) examined the gains in reading comprehension, science achievement, and metacognitive functioning of individual second grade students interacting with instructors using dialogue journals alongside their textbook. The 38 week study consisted of two instructional phases, and three assessment points. After a period of oral metacognitive strategies, one class formed the treatment group (n=17), consisting of two teachers following the co-teaching method, and two classes formed the comparison group ( n=22). The dialogue journal intervention for the treatment group embraced the transactional theory of instruction through the use of dialogic interaction between teachers and students. Students took notes on the assigned lesson after an oral discussion. Teachers responded to students' entries with scaffolding using reading strategies (prior knowledge, skim, slow down, mental integration, and diagrams) modeled after Schraw's (1998) strategy evaluation matrix, to enhance students' comprehension. The comparison group utilized text-based, teacher-led whole group discussion. Data were collected using different measures: (a) Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading (FAIR) Broad Diagnostic Inventory; (b) Scott Foresman end of chapter tests; (c) Metacomprehension Strategy Index (Schmitt, 1990); and (d) researcher-made metacognitive scaffolding rubric. Statistical analyses were performed using paired sample t-tests, regression analysis of covariance, and two way analysis of covariance. Findings from the study revealed that experimental participants performed significantly better on the linear combination of reading comprehension, science achievement, and metacognitive function, than their comparison group counterparts while controlling for pretest scores. Overall, results from the study established that teacher scaffolding using metacognitive strategies can potentially develop students' reading comprehension, science achievement, and metacognitive awareness. This suggests that early childhood students gain from the integration of reading and writing when using authentic materials (science textbooks) in science classrooms. A replication of this study with more students across more schools, and different grade levels would improve the generalizability of these results.

A relationship between the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test 2.0 mathematics scores and racial and ethnic concentration when considering socio-economic status, ESOL student population, and school climate

From the moment children are born, they begin a lifetime journey of learning about themselves and their surroundings. With the establishment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, it mandates that all children receive a high-quality education in a positive school climate. Regardless of the school the child attends or the neighborhood in which the child lives, proper and quality education and resources must be provided and made available in order for the child to be academically successful. The purpose of this ex post facto study was to investigate the relationship between the FCAT 2.0 mathematics scores of public middle school students in Miami-Dade County, Florida and the concentrations of a school's racial and ethnic make-up (Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics), English for Speakers of other Languages (ESOL) population, socio-economic status (SES), and school climate. The research question of this study was: Is there a significant relationship between the FCAT 2.0 Mathematics scores and racial and ethnic concentration of public middle school students in Miami-Dade County when controlling SES, ESOL student population, and school climate for the 2010-2011 school year? The instruments used to collect the data were the FCAT 2.0 and Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) School Climate Survey. The study found that Economically Disadvantaged (SES) students socio-economic status had the strongest correlation with the FCAT 2.0 mathematics scores (r = -.830). The next strongest correlation was with the number of students who agreed that their school climate was positive and helped them learn (r = .741) and the third strongest correlation was a school percentage of White students (r = .668). The study concluded that the FCAT 2.0 mathematics scores of M-DCPS middle school students have a significant relationship with socio-economic status, school climate, and racial concentration.

It takes an institution's village to retain a student: A comprehensive look at two early warning system undergraduate retention programs and administrators' perceptions of students' experiences and the retention services they provide students in the early warning system retention programs

Institutions have implemented many campus interventions to address student persistence/retention, one of which is Early Warning Systems (EWS). However, few research studies show evidence of interventions that incorporate noncognitive factors/skills, and psychotherapy/psycho-educational processes in the EWS. A qualitative study (phenomenological interview and document analysis) of EWS at both a public and private 4-year Florida university was conducted to explore EWS through the eyes of the administrators of the ways administrators make sense of students' experiences and the services they provide and do not provide to assist students. Administrators' understanding of noncognitive factors and the executive skills subset and their contribution to retention and the executive skills development of at-risk students were also explored. Hossler and Bean's multiple retention lenses theory/paradigms and Perez's retention strategies were used to guide the study. Six administrators from each institution who oversee and/or assist with EWS for first time in college undergraduate students considered academically at-risk for attrition were interviewed. Among numerous findings, at Institution X: EWS was infrequently identified as a service, EWS training was not conducted, numerous cognitive and noncognitive issues/deficits were identified for students, and services/critical departments such as EWS did not work together to share students' information to benefit students. Assessment measures were used to identify students' issues/deficits; however, they were not used to assess, track, and monitor students' issues/deficits. Additionally, the institution's EWS did address students' executive skills function beyond time management and organizational skills, but did not address students' psychotherapy/psycho-educational processes. Among numerous findings, at Institution Y: EWS was frequently identified as a service, EWS training was not conducted, numerous cognitive and noncognitive issues/deficits were identified for students, and services/critical departments such as EWS worked together to share students' information to benefit students. Assessment measures were used to identify, track, and monitor students' issues/deficits; however, they were not used to assess students' issues/deficits. Additionally, the institution's EWS addressed students' executive skills function beyond time management and organizational skills, and psychotherapy/psycho-educational processes. Based on the findings, Perez's retention strategies were not utilized in EWS at Institution X, yet were collectively utilized in EWS at Institution Y, to achieve Hossler and Bean's retention paradigms. Future research could be designed to test the link between engaging in the specific promising activities identified in this research (one-to-one coaching, participation in student success workshops, academic contracts, and tutoring) and student success (e.g., higher GPA, retention). Further, because this research uncovered some concern with how to best handle students with physical and psychological disabilities, future research could link these same promising strategies for improving student performance for example among ADHD students or those with clinical depression.

The relationship between the use of Academic Text Talk and the comprehension of scientific academic language for diverse second graders

Changing demographics impact our schools as children come from more linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds. The various social, cultural, and economic backgrounds of the students affect their early language learning experiences which expose them to the academic language needed to succeed in school. Teachers can help students acquire academic language by introducing words that are within their Zone of Proximal Development and increasing exposure to and use of academic language. This study investigated the effects of increasing structured activities for students to orally interact with informational text on their scientific academic language development and comprehension of expository text. ^ The Academic Text Talk activities, designed to scaffold verbalization of new words and ideas, included discussion, retelling, games, and sentence walls. This study also evaluated if there were differences in scientific language proficiency and comprehension between boys and girls, and between English language learners and native English speakers. ^ A quasi-experimental design was used to determine the relationship between increasing students' oral practice with academic language and their academic language proficiency. Second graders (n = 91) from an urban public school participated in two science units over an 8 week period and were pre and post tested using the Woodcock Muñoz Language Survey-Revised and vocabulary tests from the National Energy Education Project. Analysis of covariance was performed on the pre to post scores by treatment group to determine differences in academic language proficiency for students taught using Academic Text Talk compared to students taught using a text-centered method, using the initial Florida Assessment for Instruction in Reading test as a covariate. Students taught using Academic Text Talk multimodal strategies showed significantly greater increases in their pre to posttest means on the Woodcock Muñoz Language Survey-Revised Oral Language Totals and National Energy Education Development Project Vocabulary tests than students taught using the text-centered method, ps < .05. Boys did not show significantly greater increases than girls, nor did English language learners show significantly greater increases than the native English speakers. ^ This study informs the field of reading research by evaluating the effectiveness of a multimodal combination of strategies emphasizing discourse to build academic language.^