Straddling the Fence: Implementing Best Practices in an Age of Accountability

2002 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 30-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine M. Brighton
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Classroom Practices ◽  
State Testing ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
State Tests ◽  
High Stakes Tests ◽  
Age Of Accountability ◽  
Effective Teaching And Learning

Educators in contemporary public schools face tremendous challenges: implementing classroom practices aligned with their beliefs about effective teaching and learning while still balancing the need to prepare students for success on state-mandated, high-stakes tests. Teachers, attempting to straddle the fence between what they believe to be the most sound curricular and instructional practices and test-focused experiences for learners struggle to find a path that balances these seemingly contradictory demands. However, increased pressure to meet state testing goals appears to directly affect teachers' instructional and assessment behaviors, as they increasingly provide students with experiences that closely resemble, if not directly mimic state tests (McNeil, 2000; McNeil & Venezuela, 2000; Moon, 2001; Quality Counts, 1999; Shepard, 2000).

scholarly journals Exploring the washback effects of a high-stakes English test on the teaching of English in Spanish upper secondary schools

2010 ◽  
pp. 149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marian Amengual Pizarro
Keyword(s):  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
High Stakes Tests ◽  
The Past ◽  
Language Tests ◽  
Upper Secondary ◽  
Teaching Curriculum ◽  
Upper Secondary Schools

In the past decades, there has been a growing interest in the effects of language tests, especially high-stakes tests, on teaching and learning referred to as ‘washback'. In fact, high-stakes tests have started to be exploited to reform instruction and achieve beneficial washback. This paper focuses on the washback effects of a high-stakes English Test (ET) on the teaching of English. The main goal of this study is to examine the washback effects of the ET on the following aspects of teaching: curriculum, materials, teaching methods, and teaching feelings and attitudes. The study also attempts to discover teachers' perceptions towards the introduction of a speaking and a listening component in the design of the new ET due to be implemented in 2012. The overall findings, collected from a questionnaire carried out among 51 secondary teachers, indicate that the ET is clearly affecting curriculum and materials. Results also reveal that the ET appears to influence teachers' methodology. Furthermore, most of the teachers believe that the introduction of a speaking and a listening component in the new ET design will help solve the mismatch between the communicative approach they seem to value and the skills so far evaluated in the ET.

scholarly journals Vocabulary Teaching and Learning Principles in Classroom Practices

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arab World English Journal ◽  
Nur Salina Ismail ◽  
Safawati Basirah Zaid ◽  
Misrah Hamisah Mohamed ◽  
Nurazan Mohd Rouyan
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Classroom Practices ◽  
Learning Methods ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Common Practices ◽  
Data Points ◽  
The Common ◽  
Learning Principles ◽  
Effective Teaching And Learning

Vocabulary teaching and learning principles assist in providing effective teaching and learning methods, in accordance with the learners’ proficiency level. However, studies that looked into the relevancy of those principles are rather limited. Thus, this study focuses on finding the common practices of vocabulary teaching and learning principles in the classroom. Interviews involving three experts were done to determine their vocabulary teaching and learning principles application in their teaching. Based on the data analysed using Atlas t.i, out of ten Vocabulary Teaching and Learning Principles, only eight were practiced by the participants. The findings revealed that these experts, even though practice the principles, the approaches were varied. Finally, the data points to the need for future studies on the importance of having good vocabulary instructions in teaching and learning vocabulary.

Evidence-Based Debriefing

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-148
Author(s):  
Kate J. Morse ◽  
Mary K. Fey ◽  
Susan Gross Forneris
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Education ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Metacognitive Skills ◽  
Outcomes Evaluation ◽  
Simulation Scenario ◽  
Effective Teaching And Learning

Ongoing shifts in the healthcare system require practitioners who possess metacognitive skills to evaluate their decisions and the thinking and rationale guiding those decisions. In an effort to design learning activities that support metacognition in nursing education, undergraduate and graduate faculty, are embracing simulation-based education (SBE) as an effective teaching and learning strategy. SBE includes prebriefing, the simulation scenario, and debriefing, all of which are supported by psychological safety. Prebriefing precedes the entire learning process and is integral to engagement in the simulation and to the effectiveness of the debriefing. Debriefing provides educators with the opportunity to explore and develop those metacognitive skills with learners. In this chapter on evidence-based debriefing, the authors will explore the evidence and theories surrounding best practices in SBE, specifically the prebriefing and debriefing components of the learning experience. The chapter explores the theoretical foundation of SBE and theory-based debriefing; educational best practices of prebriefing as an integral part of an effective debriefing; theory-based debriefing models; research evidence of debriefing outcomes; evaluation of the prebriefing and debriefing process; and finally, provides recommendations on the priorities for further research in debriefing. Within this chapter, the term educator is inclusive of undergraduate, graduate, and professional development nurse educators and reflects the educator role in SBE.

scholarly journals Model for Mathematics Teachers Development

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Evans Atteh ◽  
Emmanuel Appoh Andam
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Mathematics Teachers ◽  
Mathematics Teacher ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning Environment ◽  
Step Model ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Effective Teaching And Learning

This paper identifies 3 – step model that can be adopted by every mathematics teacher and various training settings to effectively move teaching towards an active learning environment. This model which is built upon existing ideas proposed over the years in education and best practices concerning cognitive development and effective teaching and learning environment tends to equip teachers with very useful skills for classroom instructions. Ultimately, this model can aid teachers to move teaching and learning towards an active learning environment which is more effective and enjoyable for teachers and students for learning.

scholarly journals Mitigating the impacts of COVID-19: Lessons from Australia in remote education

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Dabrowski ◽  
Yung Nietschke ◽  
Pauline Taylor-Guy ◽  
Anne-Marie Chase
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Empirical Research ◽  
International Research ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Design ◽  
Design Models ◽  
Learning Contexts ◽  
Learning Practices ◽  
Effective Teaching And Learning

This literature review provides an overview of past and present responses to remote schooling in Australia, drawing on international research. The paper begins by discussing historical responses to emergency and extended schooling, including during the COVID-19 crisis. The discussion then focuses on effective teaching and learning practices and different learning design models. The review considers the available evidence on technology-based interventions and their use during remote schooling periods. Although this research is emergent, it offers insights into the availability and suitability of different mechanisms that can be used in remote learning contexts. Noting that the local empirical research base is limited, the discussion focuses on the ways in which Australia has drawn upon international best practices in remote schooling in order to enhance teaching and learning experiences. The paper concludes by discussing the conditions that can support effective remote schooling in different contexts, and the considerations that must be made around schooling during and post pandemic.

IMPACT OF DISCIPLINE ISSUES ON SCHOOL EFFECTIVENESS: THE VIEWS OF SOME GHANAIAN PRINCIPALS

2016 ◽  
pp. 50-65
Author(s):  
Inusah Salifu ◽  
Joseph S Agbenyega
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
High School Principals ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
School Effectiveness ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Senior High School ◽  
High School Administrators ◽  
Counselling Services ◽  
Effective Teaching And Learning

This research focuses on discipline issues as one of the major concerns of educators in public schools in Ghana. Qualitative and quantitative enquiries were undertaken into discipline issues and their implications on student learning as perceived by senior high school principals in Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. The study reveals that senior high school administrators perceived indiscipline as an issue affecting their administration, and prevented the provision of congenial atmosphere for effective teaching and learning. In addition, it tarnished the image of the schools before the outside world, thus discouraging donors, parents and other interest groups from having interest in the schools. Recommendations for involvement of students in decision making and the provision of guidance and counselling services are explored.

Students With Learning Disabilities and Computer-Based High-Stakes Testing

2016 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 308-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy R. Gelbart
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
High Stakes Testing ◽  
State Standards ◽  
Students With Learning Disabilities ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
New Era ◽  
High Stakes Tests ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
The Common

As schools move into a new era of technology, assessment is evolving as well. With the introduction of high-stakes tests based on the Common Core State Standards, annual assessments are increasingly delivered via computer-based systems. This method of delivery could have a significant effect on students with learning disabilities. This column explores benefits and challenges of testing students with learning disabilities via computer-based systems. It examines accessing accommodations via computer-based systems, best practices in preparing students for computer-based tests, teacher training, and educators and test designers partnering in creating test platforms.

Opting Out of the Education Reform Industry

2016 ◽  
Vol 67 (10) ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wayne Au ◽  
Jesslyn Hollar
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Education Reform ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Market Competition ◽  
The United States ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Education Industry ◽  
Education Market ◽  
K 12

Big business has long been enamored of public education. Whether shaping systems of schooling along the lines of factory production, dictating what children should learn, or cultivating private-public partnerships to gain access to government monies, corporations and their owners have insisted on being key players in the formation of education policy and practice in the United States. Analysts estimate the value of the K-12 education market at more than $700 billion dollars. Beyond their calls for students and workers to adapt to the global capitalist economy through increased competition and "accountability" in public schools, business leaders crave access to a publicly funded, potentially lucrative market&mdash;one of the last strongholds of the commons to be penetrated by neoliberalism.&hellip; In an education industry dependent on market competition to increase profitability, there is no better tool to turn teaching and learning into products&mdash;ready to measure, compare, and sell&mdash;than the high-stakes standardized tests championed by the contemporary education reform movement.<p class="mrlink"><p class="mrpurchaselink"><a href="http://monthlyreview.org/index/volume-67-number-10" title="Vol. 67, No. 10: March 2016" target="_self">Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the <em>Monthly Review</em> website.</a></p>

Student Experiences of High-stakes Testing for Progression in One Undergraduate Nursing Program

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tammy Lynn McClenny
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Education ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
High Stakes Testing ◽  
Nursing Program ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
High Stakes Tests ◽  
Undergraduate Nursing

AbstractEach year, thousands of students throughout the world are required to complete one or more high-stakes tests as a measure of competency in undergraduate nursing education. Currently, the trend in nursing education is to use high-stakes tests to establish program progression policies. However, use of these tests to block student progression is of serious concern. This article describes findings of a pilot study that used a phenomenographic approach to understand senior nursing students’ experiences of completing multiple high-stakes tests for successful progression within one undergraduate nursing program. Eighteen graduating senior nursing students participated in the study via individual interviews. Students described a multitude of experiences, organized into five main categories of descriptions: high-stakes tests as a value; high-stakes tests as a stressor; high-stakes tests as a high expectation; high-stakes tests as various inconsistencies; and high-stakes tests affecting the transfer of learning. Student perspectives with high-stakes testing contributed valuable insight lacking in the current nursing education literature. Findings suggested if high-stakes tests are to be used for program progression, it is imperative for nurse educators to convene and explore strategies to support student preparation and success with testing, and develop well-defined structures of teaching and learning for the delivery of course content.

scholarly journals Students’ and Teachers’ Factors Hindering Effective Teaching and Learning of Economics in Secondary Schools in the Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ezinne Orie Idika
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Effective Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Local Government Area ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Enugu State ◽  
Effective Teaching And Learning

Students’ and teachers’ factors that affect effective teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools in the Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria, was investigated using 10 out of 31 public schools in the study area. Data was collected using a questionnaire titled “Teachers’ & students’ factors hindering effective teaching and learning of Economics in Secondary Schools (TSFETLE),” developed by the researchers and rated on a four-point scale. The instrument had 26 items arranged in three clusters. Cluster A elicited information on teacher-related factors hindering effective teaching and learning of economics, Cluster B sought information on student-related factors that hinder effective teaching and learning of economics, and Cluster C sought information on strategies for effective teaching and learning of economics. The 52 teachers in the 31 government-owned secondary schools and 349 SS2 students of economics in 10 randomly selected secondary schools in the Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State were included in the study. Data elicited from three research questions were analyzed descriptively using mean and standard deviation, while t-test was used to compare the teachers’ and students’ responses. The results of the study showed that teachers’ qualifications, teaching methods, and students’ attitudes and disposition toward economics are the key factors affecting effective teaching and learning of economics.

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