Community Engagement in Education Programs - Jessee, Cassandra (2011)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Taking responsibility for complexity - Jones, Harry (ODI, 2011)
This Briefing Paper reviews the implications of complexity for policy and programme implementation. It aims to give readers the tools to decide when a problem is complex, outline why this matters and provide guidance on how to achieve results in the face of complexity.

Taking responsibility for complexity: how implementation can achieve results in the face of complex problems - Jones, Harry (ODI, 2011)
Keywords: ___working_potential_duplicate

Taking responsibility for complexity: how implementation can achieve results in the face of complex problems - Jones, Harry (ODI, 2011)
Keywords: ___working_potential_duplicate

Taking responsibility for complexity: how implementation can achieve results in the face of complex problems - Jones, Harry (ODI, 2011)
Keywords: ___working_potential_duplicate

Changes in student motivation during online learning - Kim, Kyong-Jee; Frick, Theodore W (Journal of Educational Computing Research, 2011)
Keywords: ❓ Multiple DOI

Mobile learning using mobile phones in Japan - Kimura, Midori (Open Source Mobile Learning: Mobile Linux Applications, 2011)
The past ten years has seen remarkable developments in mobile devices, especially mobile phones, and interest in the potential of using mobile phones in an educational setting has intensified recently. The author’s working group, in cooperation with eLPCO (e-learning Professional Competency) at Aoya...

First Principles: Community Engagement in Education Programs Compendium - Kintz, Ginny (2011)

Policy networks - Knoke, David (The SAGE handbook of social network analysis, 2011)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Communicating with children: principles and practices to nurture, inspire, excite, educate and heal - Kolucki, Barbara; Lemish, Dafna (UNICEF, 2011)

The Technological, Economic, and Social Contexts for Educational ICT Policy - Kozma, Robert B. (Transforming education: the power of ICT policies, 2011)

Pushing the child centred approach in Myanmar: the role of cross national policy networks and the effects in the classroom - Lall, Marie (Critical Studies in Education, 2011)
Keywords: C:Myanmar

A Framework for Monitoring and Evaluating Children’s Participation — a Preparatory Draft for Piloting - Lansdown, Gerison (Save the Children, 2011)
Keywords: CitedIn:eCubed; eCubed

Using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory to understand community partnerships: A historical case study of one urban high school - Leonard, Jack (Urban Education, 2011)

Affordance of Deep Infusion of One-to-One Tablet-PCs Into and Beyond Classroom. - Li, SC; Pow, JWC (International Journal of Instructional Media, 2011)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Handbook of innovation systems and developing countries: building domestic capabilities in a global setting - Lundvall, Bengt-\AAke; Joseph, K. J.; Chaminade, Cristina; Vang, Jan (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2011)
Keywords: DIAL-RDO

Inclusive educational practices in Kenya: Evidencing practice of itinerant teachers who work with children with visual impairment in local mainstream schools - Lynch, Paul; McCall, Steve; Douglas, Graeme; McLinden, Mike; Mogesa, Bernard; Mwaura, Martha; Muga, John; Njoroge, Michael (International Journal of Educational Development, 2011)
This article presents a findings from an investigation of the work of 38 specialist itinerant teachers (ITs) supporting the educational inclusion of children with visual impairment in Kenya. The research was designed around a participatory action research framework involving in-country researchers and participants (teachers) working in collaboration with researchers in the United Kingdom. Following an introductory training workshop, participants kept research journals over a 2-month period in which they recorded details of their itinerant duties (including the processes and content of their visits). Findings provide information about local practices of ITs support for children with visual impairment in mainstream schools and raise broader questions about the barriers to learning and development facing children with disabilities in mainstream schools in Kenya and other developing countries.
Keywords: Inclusive education; Itinerant teachers; Kenya; Participatory action research; Visual impairment

Compounded Disadvantage: Race, Incarceration, and Wage Growth - Lyons, Christopher J.; Pettit, Becky (Social Problems, 2011)
Spending time in prison has become an increasingly common life event for low-skill minority men in the United States. The Bureau of Justice Statistics now estimates that one in three black men can expect to spend time in prison during his lifetime. A growing body of work implicates the prison system in contemporary accounts of racial inequality across a host of social, health, economic, and political domains. However, comparatively little work has examined the impact of the massive increase in the prison system—and growing inequality in exposure to the prison system—on racial inequality over the life course. Using a unique data set drawn from state administrative records, this project examines how spending time in prison affects wage trajectories for a cohort of men over a 14-year period. Multilevel growth curve models show no evidence of racial divergence in wages in quarters leading up to incarceration. However, after release, wages grow at a 21 percent slower rate for black compared to white ex-inmates. Blacks also enjoy fewer wage returns to work history compared to their white counterparts. This research broadens our understanding of the sources of racial stratification over the life course and underscores the relevance of recent policy interventions in the lives of low-skilled minority men.

Home computer use and the development of human capital - Malamud, Ofer; Pop-Eleches, Cristian (The Quarterly journal of economics, 2011)

Lessons learnt: Synthesis of literature on the effectiveness of investments in education - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands (2011)

2011 Rwanda TeacherMate Report - Mruz, Kari (2011)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Assessing value for money - National Audit Office UK (2011)

Identité numérique et éducation: enseignement des langues camerounaises grâce aux TIC - Nkenlifack, Marcellin; Demsong, Bethin; Nangue, Raoul (International Journal of Information Sciences for Decision Making, 2011)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

An approach for teaching of national languages and cultures through ICT in Cameroon - Nkenlifack, Marcellin; Demsong, Bethin; Teko, A.; Nangue, Raoul (International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, 2011)
This article describes the input of ICT to the modernization of teaching national languages and cultures in order to promote cultural diversity as well as dissemination of scientific knowledge through national languages. This will also reinforce the understanding capacities of the population. This project will serve as the guideline towards development of scientific knowledge and know-how. It presents numerous psychological, pedagogic, scientific and social advantages, among which there is a sensitization of our languages and cultures, the deployment of a platform in some schools, the training of teachers in using ICT in language teaching, the distribution selflearning aids, the development of a website for analysis and dissemination of cultural data, of conservation of linguistic and cultural heritage, and worthiness of pre-requisites and local predispositions towards the emergence and development of technology. It will contribute to make concrete the introduction of teaching national languages in the school curricula in Cameroon.

Learning English Language by Radio in Primary Schools in Kenya - Odera, Florence (2011)
Learning English Language by Radio in Primary Schools in Kenya By Florence Y. Odera (PhD) P.O.Box 2303, Kisumu, Kenya Introduction and background information One of the
Keywords: ___working_potential_duplicate

Technological determinism in educational technology research: some alternative ways of thinking about the relationship between learning and technology - Oliver, M. (Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 2011)
This paper argues that research on the educational uses of technology frequently overemphasizes the influence of technology. Research in the field is considered a form of critical perspective, and assumptions about technology are questioned. Technological determinism is introduced, and different positions on this concept are identified. These are used to discuss the ways in which work within the field might be described as technologically deterministic. Four theoretical perspectives (activity theory, communities of practice, actor–network theory, and the social construction of technology) are then briefly characterized, demonstrating that alternative positions are viable, and positioning each in relation to the earlier discussion of technological determinism. The paper concludes by arguing that research, building on such alternative conceptions of technology, is important in developing our understanding of the relationship between technology and learning, as well as identifying potential methodological implications.
Keywords: affordance; educational technology; science and technology studies; technological determinism

One laptop per child in Rwanda - One Laptop per Child. (2011)

Conceptualizing teacher professional learning - Opfer, V. Darleen; Pedder, David (Review of Educational Research, 2011)
Keywords: Important; Read

Les Langues Africaines a L'ere Numerique: Defis Et Opportunites de L'informatisation Des Langues Autochtones - Osborn, Don (IDRC, 2011)

Optimising learning, education and publishing in Africa: the language factor; a review and analysis of theory and practice in mother-tongue and bilingual education in sub-Saharan Africa - Ouane, Adama; Glanz, Christine (2011)

Tiblo: a tangible learning aid for children with dyslexia - Pandey, Sumit; Srivastava, Swati (Association for Computing Machinery, 2011)
Dyslexia is a learning disability, which affects the ability to read and spell correctly. Special schools for children with dyslexia focus on individual growth, learning and psychological difficulties faced by the child. In this paper, we describe the design, development and testing of Tiblo (Tangible Interactive BLOcks), a tangible learning aid for children with dyslexia in the age group of 8 to 12 years. Tiblo has been specifically designed keeping in mind the psychological and emotional effects of dyslexia. We explain the process and results of an ethnographic study conducted at a school for children with dyslexia; the resulting concept development and prototyping. Further, we outline the testing process with the students at the school and the results of the same. The results showed that the children have a greater engagement in their classroom activities and there is an improvement in their retention abilities on using Tiblo. Also, they had a very strong sense of attachment and ownership towards the blocks and like to personalize it. This was in sharp contrast with other digital learning aids which offer a symptomatic and subject specific approach to aiding children with dyslexia and hence do not develop a personal one to one relationship with the child.
Keywords: collaborative learning; design case study; dyslexia; emotional design; interaction design; learning aids; play and learn; tangible user interfaces

Good Practice Report: Blended Learning. - Partridge, Helen; Ponting, Deborah; McCay, Meryl (Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC), 2011)
This good practice report, commissioned by the ALTC, provides a summative evaluation of useful outcomes and good practices from ALTC projects and fellowships on blended learning. The report contains: a summative evaluation of the good practices and key outcomes for teaching and learning from completed ALTC projects and fellowships; a literature review of the good practices and key outcomes for teaching and learning from national and international research; the proposed outcomes and resources for teaching and learning which will be produced by current incomplete ALTC projects and fellowships; identifies areas in which further work or development are appropriate.
Keywords: C:Australia

Governance Reforms in three South East Asian countries: the Role of Research-based Evidence in Promoting Innovations - Pellini, Arnaldo; Bachtiar, P.P; Alician, M.D; Nguyen, Thi Thu Hang (Innovation Trends in Public Governance in Asia, 2011)

Television, Language, and Literacy Practices in Sudanese Refugee Families: "I learned how to spell English on Channel 18" - Perry, Kristen H.; Moses, Annie M. (Research in the Teaching of English, 2011)
This ethnographic study explored the ways in which media, particularly television, connected with English language and literacy practices among Sudanese refugees in Michigan. Three families with young children participated in this study. Data collection included participant observation, interviews, and collection of artifacts over 18 months, with a focus on television events as the units of analysis. Data analysis focused on television practices connected with literacy practices for adults and children. Results indicated that television offered important cultural connections with participants' beliefs, values, and attitudes regarding their Sudanese heritage, the new U.S. context, and religious practices. Both adults and children believed television was an important resource for learning and recognized potential problems with too much viewing. Most significantly, analysis suggested important connections between television practices and the development of both English language abilities for all family members and the development of real-world literacy practices, especially for the children.
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Making a difference with smart tablets - Price, Amy (Teacher Librarian, 2011)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Zero to eight: children’s media use in America - Rideout, Victoria (Common Sense Media, 2011)

Making Thinking Visible: How to Promote Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners - Ritchhart, Ron; Church, Mark; Morrison, Karin (Jossey-Bass, 2011)
"Visible Thinking is a research-based approach to teaching thinking that develops students' thinking dispositions, while at the same time deepening their understanding of the topics they study. Rather than a set of fixed lessons, Visible Thinking is an extensive and adaptable collection of practices that include thinking routines and the documentation of student thinking. The routines are a central element of the practical, functional and accessible nature of Visible Thinking. Thinking routines are easy to use mini-strategies that are repeatedly used in the classroom. They are a small set of questions or a short sequence of steps that can be used across various grade levels and content. Each routine targets a different type of thinking and by bringing their own content, teachers can integrate the routines into the fabric of their classrooms. Thinking Routines help direct student thinking and structure classroom discussion. Thinking becomes visible as the students' different viewpoints are expressed, documented, discussed and reflected upon"--
Keywords: Cognition in children; Critical thinking; EDUCATION / Teaching Methods & Materials / General; Study and teaching; Thought and thinking

Learner-centred education in developing country contexts: From solution to problem? - Schweisfurth, Michele (International Journal of Educational Development, 2011)

Computer-Aided Learning and Mentoring for Improvement of Teaching Quality: An Assessment of BRAC Interventions - Sharmin, Nazia; Roy, Goutam (SSRN Electronic Journal, 2011)
Methods and materials 3 Research area and sampling 3 Variables 4 Data collection techniques and tools 4 Field operation 4 Ethical consideration 4 Data management and analysis 4 Results 5 Computer-aided learning (CAL) 5 Mentoring 10 Conclusion

Reading with iPads–the difference makes a difference - Sheppard, Dale (Education Today, 2011)

Open-source platform: exploring the opportunities for offline mobile learning - Shrestha, Sujan; Moore, John; Nocera, José Abdelnour (2011)

New technologies in cash transfer programming and humanitarian assistance - Smith, Gabrielle; Macauslan, Ian; Butters, Saul; Tromme, Mathieu (The Cash Learning Partnership, 2011)

Curriculum and assessment policy statement English home language. Foundation phase Grades R-3 Grades R-3 - South Africa; Department of Basic Education (Department of Basic Education, 2011)

Guided interaction as intercultural learning: designing internationalisation into a mixed delivery teacher education programme - Spiro, Jane (Higher Education Research and Development, 2011)
In this paper the process of building an international student community is explored. Strategies discussed include guided interaction within a virtual environment between home students studying in their own culture and international students studying at a distance. The context includes both the state and private sector in South East Asia, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. The subject is a Master of Arts in Education for practising in-service teachers of English. Through exchanging teacher narratives, students identify shared concerns and values about their profession and recognise connections with their peers in apparently widely different cultural settings. Student and tutor evaluations suggest that participants developed the competence of recognising connections between their own meanings and behaviours and those of others. They also deconstructed their assumptions and unexamined beliefs through engagement with others. The paper concludes by analysing how these competences impacted on the self-knowledge and practice of the participants, and suggests the generative principles which made this learning effective. (Contains 1 table.)
Keywords: Asia; ERIC, Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE); Education Majors; Europe; Foreign Countries; Foreign Students; Higher Education; Interaction; Latin America; Masters Degrees; Middle East; Multicultural Education; Personal Narratives; Private Sector; Southeast Asia; Student Teachers; Teacher Education Programs; United Kingdom; Virtual Classrooms; __:import:01; __:match:final; __:matched; __:study_id:2097655; __finaldtb

Guided interaction as intercultural learning: designing internationalisation into a mixed delivery teacher education programme - Spiro, Jane (Higher Education Research and Development, 2011)
In this paper the process of building an international student community is explored. Strategies discussed include guided interaction within a virtual environment between home students studying in their own culture and international students studying at a distance. The context includes both the state and private sector in South East Asia, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. The subject is a Master of Arts in Education for practising in-service teachers of English. Through exchanging teacher narratives, students identify shared concerns and values about their profession and recognise connections with their peers in apparently widely different cultural settings. Student and tutor evaluations suggest that participants developed the competence of recognising connections between their own meanings and behaviours and those of others. They also deconstructed their assumptions and unexamined beliefs through engagement with others. The paper concludes by analysing how these competences impacted on the self-knowledge and practice of the participants, and suggests the generative principles which made this learning effective. (Contains 1 table.)
Keywords: Asia; ERIC, Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE); Education Majors; Europe; Foreign Countries; Foreign Students; Higher Education; Interaction; Latin America; Masters Degrees; Middle East; Multicultural Education; Personal Narratives; Private Sector; Southeast Asia; Student Teachers; Teacher Education Programs; United Kingdom; Virtual Classrooms; __:import:01; __:match:final; __:matched; __:study_id:2097655; __finaldtb

On systems thinking and the systems approach - “Stell” Kefalas, Asterios G. (World Futures, 2011)

Accelerating STEM capacity: A complex adaptive system perspective - Stephens, Rick; Richey, Michael (Journal of Engineering Education, 2011)

Computer-Adaptive Testing for Students with Disabilities: A Review of the Literature - Stone, Elizabeth; Davey, Tim (ETS Research Report Series, 2011)
There has been an increased interest in developing computer-adaptive testing (CAT) and multistage assessments for K-12 accountability assessments. The move to adaptive testing has been met with some resistance by those in the field of special education who express concern about routing of students with divergent profiles (e.g., some students with math-based learning disabilities may have difficulty with basic computation but not high level problem solving) and poor performance on early test questions. This paper consists of a literature review focusing on adaptive testing issues for students with disabilities in the K-12 sector. While it is clear that there are issues that will present obstacles to administering accountability tests adaptively to students with disabilities, this synthesis of research and policy developments with respect to this topic will be useful both for development of research agendas and to inform states that are currently using or are considering moving to CAT.

Towards a framework for researching the quality of education in low‐income countries - Tikly, Leon (Comparative Education, 2011)

EDUsummIT 2011 report from TWG3: teacher professional development - Twining, Peter; Albion, Peter; Knezek, Don (UNESCO, 2011)

Financing Education in sub-Saharan Africa : Meeting the Challenges of Expansion, Equity and Quality - UNESCO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2011)

UNESCO ICT COMPETENCY FRAMEWORKFOR TEACHERS - UNESCO (UNESCO, 2011)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

World Data on Education: Bhutan - UNESCO (2011)

The Technological, Economic, and Social Contexts for Educational ICT Policy - UNESCO; Kozma, Robert B. (Transforming education: the power of ICT policies, 2011)

Child Safety Online: Global challenges and strategies - UNICEF (Innocenti Publications, 2011)
The Internet, mobile phones and other electronic media provide children and young people with levels of access to information, culture, communication and entertainment impossible to imagine just 20 years ago. With many of their extraordinary benefits

Malawi Teacher Professional Development Support Program: Baseline Report - USAID (2011)

Secondary data analysis - Vartanian, Thomas P. (Oxford University Press, USA, 2011)
In recent decades, social work and other social science research disciplines have become increasingly reliant on large secondary data sets, which have increased in both number and accessibility. When starting a new research project, how does one determine whether to use a secondary data set? Which of the thousands available should be used? This invaluable and expertly written guide provides an in-depth introduction to 29 of the most widely used data sets in social work, such as the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and the U.S. Census. This book also examines the years covered by these cross-sectional and longitudinal data sets, the units of analysis, and the sample sizes.Readers will learn where to find the data and the key variables contained within, and how to use them in SAS and Stata. Screen shots guide researchers through data sets in a step-by-step process: how to download the data, how to merge it with other data sets, and how to program it when necessary. Each section also profiles studies that have used the respective data sets, giving researchers a clear feel for the depth and range of questions that a given data source can be used to answer, like the use of government data to explore issues ranging from pathways out of poverty to the relationship between marital dissolution and women's health and well-being.Exceptionally well calibrated and filled with real-world examples, this pocket guide will give beginning and advanced researchers a comprehensive understanding of these data sets that they can use in their research on clinical, policy, and other types studies.
Keywords: Political Science / Public Policy / Social Services & Welfare; Science / General; Social Science / Social Work

Smaller, quicker, cheaper: Improving learning assessments in developing countries - Wagner, D.A. (UNESCO-IIEP/FTI-Global Partnership for Education, 2011)

World Report on Disability - WHO (2011)

World Report on Disability - WHO (2011)

Open Content - Wiley, David (2011)

Systems Theory - Wilkinson, Lee A. (Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development, 2011)

ICT integration in Teacher Education - A study of University of Education, Winneba - Wilson, Kofi Bentum; Ayebi-Arthur, Kofi; Tenkorang, Emmanuel Yamoah (Ghana Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 2011)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Grant Funding Proposal (FY11- Round 33) - World Bank (Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF), 2011)

World report on disability - World Health Organization (World Health Organization, 2011)

Patronage of Educational Broadcasts and its Effects on Academic Growth of Students of Winneba and Apam Senior High Schools in the Central Region of Ghana. - Yelkpieri, Daniel; Kweku, Wilson Esia-Donkoh; Kwesi (Academic Leadership: The Online Journal, 2011)
Keywords: ___working_potential_duplicate; ⛔ No DOI found

Patronage of Educational Broadcasts and its Effects on Academic Growth of Students of Winneba and Apam Senior High Schools in the Central Region of Ghana. - Yelkpieri, Daniel; Kweku, Wilson Esia-Donkoh; Kwesi (Academic Leadership: The Online Journal, 2011)
Keywords: ___working_potential_duplicate; ⛔ No DOI found

The potential impact of mobile-assisted language learning on women and girls in Africa: A literature review - Zelezny-Green, Ronda (Ubiquitous Learning: An International Journal, 2011)
Keywords: Equity through Access; ___working_potential_duplicate

The Potential Impact of Mobile-Assisted Language Learning on Women and Girls in Africa: A Literature Review - Zelezny-Green, Ronda (Ubiquitous Learning: An International Journal, 2011)
Keywords: ___working_potential_duplicate

The potential impact of mobile-assisted language learning on women and girls in Africa: A literature review - Zelezny-Green, Ronda (Ubiquitous Learning: An International Journal, 2011)
Keywords: ___working_potential_duplicate

On Network Theory - Borgatti, Stephen; Halgin, Daniel (SSRN Electronic Journal, 2011)
Research on social networks has grown considerably in the last decade. However, there is a certain amount of confusion about network theory — for example, what it is, what is distinctive about it, and how to generate new theory. This paper attempts to remedy the situation by clarifying the fundamental concepts of the field (such as the network) and characterizing how network reasoning works. We start by considering the definition of network, noting some confusion caused by two different perspectives, which we refer to as realist and nominalist. We then analyze two well-known network theories, Granovetter’s strength of weak ties, to identify characteristic elements of network theorizing. We argue that both theories share an underlying theoretical model, which we label the network flow model, from which we derive additional implications. We also discuss network phenomena that do not appear to fit the flow model and discuss the possibility of a second fundamental model, which we call the bond model. We close with a discussion of the merits of model-based network theorizing for facilitating the generation of new theory, as well as a discussion of endogeneity in network theorizing.

Complexity and systems thinking - Merali, Yasmin; Allen, P. (2011)
Once the whole is divided, the parts need names. There are already enough names. One must know when to stop. Knowing when to stop averts trouble. Tao in the world is like a river flowing home to the sea. Lau Tsu, Tao Te Ching.

Introducing ICT into schools in Rwanda: Educational challenges and opportunities - Rubagiza, Jolly; Were, Edmond; Sutherland, Rosamund (International Journal of Educational Development, 2011)

Introducing ICT into schools in Rwanda: Educational challenges and opportunities - Rubagiza, Jolly; Were, Edmond; Sutherland, Rosamund (International Journal of Educational Development, 2011)
The Rwandan government views Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a key tool for transforming the economy, with the education sector playing an important role in developing the necessary human resources. Since 2000 there has been a big push to introduce computers into schools and integrate ICT into the education curriculum through a range of initiatives. Within this paper we draw on the research of EdQual, a DFID funded project in order to examine issues related to the use of ICTs in schools in Rwanda. We argue that the potential of ICT will not be realised by the mere introduction of computers and ICT infrastructure in schools. We show that current policy initiatives appear to be disadvantaging particular groups, such as girls and those living in rural communities. Drawing on Sen's capability approach as a framework for theorising issues of education policy and social justice, we discuss how engagement with ICT can be reconceptualised as access to the capability of what Jenkins calls participatory culture. We also argue that without a shift in practices of teaching and learning with ICT in schools young people are not likely to learn how to exploit the capabilities offered by access to ICT.
Keywords: Curriculum; Education; ICT; Rwanda; Social justice

Introducing ICT into schools in Rwanda: Educational challenges and opportunities - Rubagiza, Jolly; Were, Edmond; Sutherland, Rosamund (International Journal of Educational Development, 2011)

Patronage of Educational Broadcasts and its Effects on Academic Growth of Students of Winneba and Apam Senior High Schools in the Central Region of Ghana. - Yelkpieri, Daniel; Kweku, Wilson Esia-Donkoh; Kwesi (Academic Leadership: The Online Journal, 2011)
Keywords: ___working_potential_duplicate; ⛔ No DOI found

Revitalizing the Planning Commission: Some Recommendations - Ikram, Khalid (Working Papers, 2011)
This paper considers the key problems confronting the Pakistan Planning Commission; brieﬂy examines the essentials of planning for a mixed economy; draws lessons from the experience of countries, both developed and developing, that have formulated and implemented successful plans; and suggests measures to revitalize the Planning Commission. Some suggestions are put forward for continuous upgrading of the institutionâ€™s skills in the longer run. The paper also describes ways in which policymakers can learn from their counterparts in successful countries in the neighborhood. [IGC Rapid Response]. http://www.theigc.org/node/1300
Keywords: Pakistan; Pakistan Planning Commission

What Forty Years of Research Says About the Impact of Technology on Learning A Second-Order Meta-Analysis and Validation Study - Tamim, Rana; Bernard, Robert; Borokhovski, Eugene; Abrami, Philip; Schmid, Richard (Review of Educational Research, 2011)
This research study employs a second-order meta-analysis procedure to summarize 40 years of research activity addressing the question, does computer technology use affect student achievement in formal face-to-face classrooms as compared to classrooms that do not use technology? A study-level meta-analytic validation was also conducted for purposes of comparison. An extensive literature search and a systematic review process resulted in the inclusion of 25 meta-analyses with minimal overlap in primary literature, encompassing 1,055 primary studies. The random effects mean effect size of 0.35 was significantly different from zero. The distribution was heterogeneous under the fixed effects model. To validate the second-order meta-analysis, 574 individual independent effect sizes were extracted from 13 out of the 25 meta-analyses. The mean effect size was 0.33 under the random effects model, and the distribution was heterogeneous. Insights about the state of the field, implications for technology use, and prospects for future research are discussed.

Sierra Leone Teaching Service Commission Act - Government of Sierra Leone (2011)

The Effect of Computer-Assisted Instruction on Student’s Attitudes and Achievement in Matrices and Transformations in Secondary Schools in Uasin Gishu District, Kenya - Mwei, Philip K.; Too, Jackson K.; Wando, Dave (2011)
Performance in Mathematics in secondary school Education in Kenya remains poor. Consequently the Kenya secondary school examination (KCSE) Mathematics results continue to cause concern to all the stakeholders in the education sector. Therefore, there is serious and urgent need for intervention. Although research has indicated that computer-assisted instruction (CAI) enhances student achievement, promotes positive attitudes towards Mathematics and instruction, and improves interpersonal relations, few studies have focused on CAI in Kenyan secondary schools Mathematics teaching/learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of CAI on students’ attitude and achievement in matrices and transformations between form four students who received instruction using CAI module or conventional instruction methods. The pretest – posttest control group experimental research design was used. Six classes selected at random with 205 students participated in the study. Results of this study indicated higher achievement and positive attitudes with CAI treatment groups. Making connections between the goals of Mathematics education and CAI offers a valuable means for improving mathematical knowledge and skills and hence performance in Mathematics.
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Making mobile learning work: case studies of practice - Traxler, J.; Wishart, J. (Discussions in education, 2011)

The effects of continuing professional development (CPD) through SPRINT on teacher classroom practices and student learning outcomes - Mazala, Chileya Mbasilu (2011)
This study looked at the effects of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) through School Programmes for In -Service for the Term (SPRINT) on teacher classroom practices and student learning outcomes. The purpose of the study was to find out if SPRINT had any effect on teacher classroom practice and student learning outcomes. The target population was all Ndola high schools. The sample consisted of 196 respondents that is, five head teachers, five deputy heads, fifteen heads of department, five School In- Service Providers (SIP), five Zone INSET Providers (ZIP) and twelve teachers from each of the five schools and one Resource Centre Coordinator. The sample also included one hundred grade twelve pupils, twenty randomly picked from each of the five schools Purposive sampling was used to select the schools, head teachers, heads of department, INSET providers and the subject coordinator. Teachers and pupils were selected using simple random sampling. Questionnaires, observations, interviews, Focus Group Discussions and documentary evidence were the research instruments used to gather information. A review of relevant literature and its implication for CPD was undertaken to provide interrogation framework for this study. Guskey's five levels of evaluation were used to structure the framework Data were analyzed by identifying and categorizing significant themes relevant to research objectives. The data were presented in form of tables, percentages,graphs and charts. Qualitative data from interviews were coded and emerging themes grouped into categories The themes and categories of initial data were compared with those of subsequent interviews. Categories were then regrouped to get the most significant categories and themes.The findings from this study indicated that teachers at all career stages expressed the desire to take part in Continuing Professional Development through SPRINT.Research findings also showed that SPRINT activities did impact on teacher classroom practice basing on the twelve observable skills recommended by The Ministry of Education. The findings from this study further revealed that SPRINT had an impact on student learning outcomes as shown by the average scores of students whose teachers took part in CPD and those whose teachers did not.Average scores for the latter were lower than the former category of students.The findings further revealed that although there was evidence of the effect of CPD through SPRINT on teacher classroom practices and student learning outcomes, this programme was hindered by weak organisational support.The results of the study showed that teachers were not enthusiastic about continuing with the CPD programme as it lacked adequate funding and support from both local administrators and the Ministry of Education. Teachers were not involved in identifying training needs and as such did not feel they were the owners of CPD Teachers also felt that this kind of CPD did not help in career progression as the credit system was not effective. At organizational level, this study found that policies and guidelines on how to organize and manage CPD were lacking.CPD leaders also did not have adequate training to prepare them for their roles. Because of this lack of training, CPD leaders could not carry out assessment of the effects of CPD through SPRINT on teacher classroom practices and student learning outcomes.On the basis of these findings, it is recommended that teachers should be in charge of their own CPD and be involved in needs assessment .Secondly, CPD leaders should be properly trained for their role and they should have clear job specifications. In addition, adequate funding for the programme should be made available by both the Government and the School Administration. The Ministry of Education also needs to formulate national policies and guidelines on management and evaluation of SPRINT .A standardized accreditation system which would enable teachers to experience career progression through SPRINT should also be put in place. Lastly, CPD through SPRINT should be made research based with teachers having access to INTERNET and good library facilities.

Provision of continuing professional development by resource centres in selected high schools of the Copperbelt province - Mwale, Kelly Kezala (2011)
The purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of resource centres in providing Continuing Professional Development to high school teachers in the Copperbelt Province.Major concerns have been expressed by various stakeholders that not enough has been done in enhancing and strengthening the concept of Continuing Professional Development among high school teachers. The Teacher Resource Centres that are supposed to be custodians of In-service Training of Teachers(INSET) now Continuing Professional Development (CPD) are perceived not to have done enough. The establishment of Teacher Resource Centres throughout the country was meant to help upgrade the skills and competencies of teachers at both basic and high school levels. These Continuing Professional Development activities that should be on-going include School Programme of In-service for the Term (SPRINT), Demonstrate, Observe, Discuss and Implement (DODIS) and Subject Meeting at the Resource Centre (SMARC).A purposive sample of 8 teacher resource centres and 12 high schools giving the study a number of 84 respondents was selected.Data were collected by way of questionnaires, interviews and Focus Group Discussions. The major informants were the following: Headteachers, Heads of Department, Teachers and Resource Centre Coordinators.The results of the study revealed that Teacher Resource Centres were not effectively providing Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities among high school teachers. The findings further revealed that the Continuing Professional Development activities such as School Programme of In-service for the Term (SPRINT), Demonstrate, Observe, Discuss and Implement (DODIS) and Subject Meeting at the Resource Centre (SMARC) were almost non-existent in high schools despite clustering them with basic schools.Generally, the findings indicated lack of commitment both by the coordinators in Resource Centres and school administrators. Further revelations by the study indicate that little or no effort has been given to school - based workshops, seminars, professional meetings and conferences. Additionally,constant monitoring of CPD activities was not given prominence by Resource Centre Coordinators hence the glaring lapses in the actual implementation of Continuing Professional Development programmes.Further analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data revealed that there was lack of significant advocacy and sensitisation on the difference between Continuing Professional Development activities and In-service Teacher Education tenable at colleges of education and universities. In view of the research findings, recommendations were made. Teacher Resource Centres ought to enhance advocacy and sensitisation of Continuing Professional Development activities. Pedagogical competences and skills would be strengthened at high school level if Teacher Resource Centres played their expected role of providing Continuing Professional Development to teachers. The study has also shown that school administrators did not apportion equal weight to Continuing Professional Development as they did with sporting activities. There is need to give both areas equal attention.

Decentralisation policy and practice in Ghana: the promise and reality of community participation in education in rural communities - Essuman, Ato; Akyeampong, Kwame (Journal of Education Policy, 2011)
In 1987, the government of Ghana embarked on a process to decentralise education management to districts as part of wider social and democratic governance reforms. A central part of this reform was the prescription of active community participation in the affairs of schools within their locality. This paper explores the different meanings community participation had for school community stakeholders. It examines the multiple understandings of how community and school relations work and the factors which influence this relationship. Drawing on case study data, it argues that much of the theoretical and policy expectations on representation and participation in education by community members are only evident in form, but not as intended in practice. In poor rural contexts, it is often the local elite and relatively more educated members of the community, who become the new brokers of decision-making and, through their actions, close up the spaces for representation and participation by community members in the affairs of schools. Furthermore, the extent of community participation appears to be shaped by a ‘social contract’ based on the principle of reciprocity of roles between the community and schools, and that increasingly teachers feel accountable to the traditional hierarchical educational structure, and not to the community. The paper argues that the realisation of decentralisation policy in education has to contend with the realities of local politics of influence in the community, and tap into the positive side of this influence to improve education service delivery.
Keywords: Ghana; Parent Teacher Associations (PTA); School Management Committees (SMC); ___working_potential_duplicate; community participation; decentralisation policy

Education policy reform in Sri Lanka: the double-edged sword of political will - Little, Angela W. (Journal of Education Policy, 2011)
In 1997, the Government of Sri Lanka launched a comprehensive set of education reforms designed to promote equitable access to basic education and improvements in learning outcomes. The package of reforms arose as a political response to widespread youth unrest in the late 1980s and attracted considerable ‘political will’, a vague but much vaunted term in the international policy discourse. Yet, despite seemingly high levels of national political will, reform has not been plain sailing. Using evidence from interviews with policy elites and an analysis of policy texts and evaluations, this paper analyses the role of political will at national and local levels in policy formulation and implementation in a policy environment characterised by ‘patronage politics’. It explores the interaction between the political, administrative, technical, human resource and financial drivers and inhibitors of five reform components and argues that local-level political will, as well as national-level political will, has played a central role in determining whether formulated policies are translated into action on the ground. ‘Political will’ is a double-edged sword.
Keywords: Sri Lanka; policy implementation; political will

Peer Effects, Teacher Incentives, and the Impact of Tracking: Evidence from a Randomized Evaluation in Kenya - Duflo, Esther; Dupas, Pascaline; Kremer, Michael (American Economic Review, 2011)
To the extent that students benefit from high-achieving peers, tracking will help strong students and hurt weak ones. However, all students may benefit if tracking allows teachers to better tailor their instruction level. Lower-achieving pupils are particularly likely to benefit from tracking when teachers have incentives to teach to the top of the distribution. We propose a simple model nesting these effects and test its implications in a randomized tracking experiment conducted with 121 primary schools in Kenya. While the direct effect of high-achieving peers is positive, tracking benefited lower-achieving pupils indirectly by allowing teachers to teach to their level. (JEL I21, J45, O15)
Keywords: Analysis of Education, Public Sector Labor Markets, Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

Technophobia among Female Undergraduate Students: A Challenge to Attainment of the MDGs in Nigeria - Achuonye, Keziah Akuoma; Ezekoka, Gertrude Kanayo (Journal of Education, Society and Behavioural Science, 2011)
Keywords: Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); Technophobia; computer; psychological gender; ⛔ No DOI found

Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions - Higgins, Julian P. T.; Green, Sally (John Wiley & Sons, 2011)
Healthcare providers, consumers, researchers and policy makers are inundated with unmanageable amounts of information, including evidence from healthcare research. It has become impossible for all to have the time and resources to find, appraise and interpret this evidence and incorporate it into healthcare decisions. Cochrane Reviews respond to this challenge by identifying, appraising and synthesizing research-based evidence and presenting it in a standardized format, published in The Cochrane Library (www.thecochranelibrary.com). The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions contains methodological guidance for the preparation and maintenance of Cochrane intervention reviews. Written in a clear and accessible format, it is the essential manual for all those preparing, maintaining and reading Cochrane reviews. Many of the principles and methods described here are appropriate for systematic reviews applied to other types of research and to systematic reviews of interventions undertaken by others. It is hoped therefore that this book will be invaluable to all those who want to understand the role of systematic reviews, critically appraise published reviews or perform reviews themselves. This title is also available as a mobile App from MedHand Mobile Libraries. Buy it now from Google Play or the MedHand Store.
Keywords: Medical / General

The Distribution of Teacher Quality and Implications for Policy - Hanushek, Eric; Rivkin, Steven (Annual Review of Economics, 2011)
It has become commonplace to measure teacher quality in terms of teacher value-added. Operationally, this means evaluating teachers according to the learning gains of students on various achievement tests. Existing research consistently shows large variations in teacher effectiveness, much of which is within schools as opposed to between schools. The policy implications of these variations are dramatic. But the underlying statistical modeling has become the subject of intense research, in part because of this direct use of value-added measures in policy discussions.

Quantitative Determination of the Relationship between Internal Validity and Bias in Software Engineering Experiments: Consequences for Systematic Literature Reviews - Dieste, Oscar; Grim´n, Anna; Juristo, Natalia; Saxena, Himanshu (2011 International Symposium on Empirical Software Engineering and Measurement, 2011)
Quality assessment is one of the activities performed as part of systematic literature reviews. It is commonly accepted that a good quality experiment is bias free. Bias is considered to be related to internal validity (e.g., how adequately the experiment is planned, executed and analysed). Quality assessment is usually conducted using checklists and quality scales. It has not yet been proven, however, that quality is related to experimental bias. Aim: Identify whether there is a relationship between internal validity and bias in software engineering experiments. Method: We built a quality scale to determine the quality of the studies, which we applied to 28 experiments included in two systematic literature reviews. We proposed an objective indicator of experimental bias, which we applied to the same 28 experiments. Finally, we analysed the correlations between the quality scores and the proposed measure of bias. Results: We failed to find a relationship between the global quality score (resulting from the quality scale) and bias, however, we did identify interesting correlations between bias and some particular aspects of internal validity measured by the instrument. Conclusions: There is an empirically provable relationship between internal validity and bias. It is feasible to apply quality assessment in systematic literature reviews, subject to limits on the internal validity aspects for consideration.
Keywords: Checklist; Context; Correlation; Inspection; Instruments; Quality Assessment (QA) of experiments; Quality Scale; Quality assessment; Software engineering; Systematic Literature Review (SLR); Systematics

Getting off the “Gold Standard”: Randomized controlled trials and education research - Sullivan, Gail M (Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 2011)

The effect of school neighborhoods on teacher retention decisions - Boyd, Donald; Lankford, Hamilton; Loeb, Susanna; Ronfeldt, Matthew; Wyckoff, James (Whither Opportunity? Rising Inequality, Schools, and Children's Life Chances, 2011)
A substantial body of research demonstrates that schools with large populations of poor, non-white and low-achieving students, on average have more difficulty attracting and retaining teachers (Boyd et. al., 2005; Boyd et al, 2009; Hanushek et. al., 2004; Ingersoll, 2001; Scafidi et. al., 2007). However, little work assesses the extent to which differences in the neighborhoods
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

ICT reform initiatives in Singapore schools: a complexity theory perspective - Toh, Yancy; So, Hyo-Jeong (Asia Pacific Education Review, 2011)
The past two decades have witnessed an exponential growth in the use of technology in our daily life. Notwithstanding its phenomenal influence, the use of technology in education remains sporadic and disjointed. The promise that technology will bring deep-seated changes in the way that educators teach and students learn remains, disappointedly, elusive. This paper argues that the lack of systemic frame of reference may have explanatory power over such less than impressive performance of ICT in education. Tracing the trajectory of Singapore’s ICT-related policies in the educational sector, this paper adopts the complexity lens to study the systemic policy changes that are imbued in the different stages of Singapore’s ICT-based reforms. In particular, the paper delves into the three constructs of complexity theory: self-organisation, coevolution and fitness landscape. By juxtaposing the interdependencies of these three concepts against the backdrop of Singapore’s educational landscape, the paper contends that the complexity theory perspective has the potential to help policymakers understand the dynamic and complex nature of reforms so as to devise multi-faceted solutions that will address the concerns of all key stakeholders in the learning ecology. Implications for policymaking are also discussed.

The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses - Ries, Eric (2011)
Most startups fail. But many of those failures are preventable. The Lean Startup is a new approach being adopted across the globe, changing the way companies are built and new products are launched. Eric Ries defines a startup as an organization dedicated to creating something new under conditions of extreme uncertainty. This is just as true for one person in a garage or a group of seasoned professionals in a Fortune 500 boardroom. What they have in common is a mission to penetrate that fog of uncertainty to discover a successful path to a sustainable business. The Lean Startup approach fosters companies that are both more capital efficient and that leverage human creativity more effectively. Inspired by lessons from lean manufacturing, it relies on “validated learning,” rapid scientific experimentation, as well as a number of counter-intuitive practices that shorten product development cycles, measure actual progress without resorting to vanity metrics, and learn what customers really want. It enables a company to shift directions with agility, altering plans inch by inch, minute by minute. Rather than wasting time creating elaborate business plans, The Lean Startup offers entrepreneurs—in companies of all sizes—a way to test their vision continuously, to adapt and adjust before it’s too late. Ries provides a scientific approach to creating and managing successful startups in a age when companies need to innovate more than ever.

Strategies for reducing inequalities and improving developmental outcomes for young children in low-income and middle-income countries - Fernald, Lia; Alderman, Harold; Behrman, Jere; O'Gara, Chloe; Yousafzai, Aisha; Cabral de Mello, Meena; Hidrobo, Melissa; Ulkuer, Nurper; Ertem, Ilgi; Iltus, Selim (Lancet, 2011)
This report is the second in a Series on early child development in low-income and middle-income countries and assesses the effectiveness of early child development interventions, such as parenting support and preschool enrolment. The evidence reviewed suggests that early child development can be improved through these interventions, with effects greater for programmes of higher quality and for the most vulnerable children. Other promising interventions for the promotion of early child development include children's educational media, interventions with children at high risk, and combining the promotion of early child development with conditional cash transfer programmes. Effective investments in early child development have the potential to reduce inequalities perpetuated by poverty, poor nutrition, and restricted learning opportunities. A simulation model of the potential long-term economic effects of increasing preschool enrolment to 25% or 50% in every low-income and middle-income country showed a benefit-to-cost ratio ranging from 6·4 to 17·6, depending on preschool enrolment rate and discount rate.

School Resources and Educational Outcomes in Developing Countries: A Review of the Literature from 1990 to 2010 - Glewwe, Paul W.; Hanushek, Eric A.; Humpage, Sarah D.; Ravina, Renato (National Bureau of Economic Research, 2011)
Developing countries spend hundreds of billions of dollars each year on schools, educational materials and teachers, but relatively little is known about how effective these expenditures are at increasing students' years of completed schooling and, more importantly, the skills that they learn while in school. This paper examines studies published between 1990 and 2010, in both the education literature and the economics literature, to investigate which specific school and teacher characteristics, if any, appear to have strong positive impacts on learning and time in school. Starting with over 9,000 studies, 79 are selected as being of sufficient quality. Then an even higher bar is set in terms of econometric methods used, leaving 43 "high quality" studies. Finally, results are also shown separately for 13 randomized trials. The estimated impacts on time in school and learning of most school and teacher characteristics are statistically insignificant, especially when the evidence is limited to the "high quality" studies. The few variables that do have significant effects - e.g. availability of desks, teacher knowledge of the subjects they teach, and teacher absence - are not particularly surprising and thus provide little guidance for future policies and programs.

Pretotype It: Make sure you are building the right it before you build it right - Savoia, Alberto (2011)

From design experiments to formative interventions - Engeström, Yrjö (Theory & Psychology, 2011)
So-called ?design experiments? have been presented as a radical alternative to traditional experimental designs in behavioral sciences. A closer scrutiny of design experiments shows that they share the basic linear methodology of traditional randomized controlled trials, and thus ignore resistance and agency of learners as a source of surprise and novelty. Formative interventions based on Vygotsky?s principle of double stimulation offer an alternative that builds on and purposefully fosters learners? agency. Formative interventions may be characterized with the help of an argumentative grammar which proposes (a) the collective activity system as a unit of analysis, (b) contradictions as a source of change and development, (c) agency as a crucial layer of causality, and (d) transformation of practice as a form of expansive concept formation. These four epistemic tenets are concretized with the help of analysis of data from a Change Laboratory formative experiment conducted in a Finnish hospital. The analysis shows that double stimulation is a multi-layered and longitudinal process in which both the initial problem situation (first stimulus) and the mediating conceptual tool (second stimulus) are reformulated and enriched in successive steps. Such a process of double stimulation generates a thirdness, a new concept for the activity under transformation.

GIS in Education Planning: The Kenyan School Mapping Project - Mulaku, G.C.; Nyadimo, E. (Survey Review, 2011)
School mapping consists of the building of geospatial databases of educational, demographic and socioeconomic data for educational institutions in order to support educational planning and decision making. Such databases contain data such as the geographic location of schools, the numbers of existing schools of different levels in the public and private sectors, their capacities, physical condition and facilities, enrolment and the number of teachers and their attributes. Also often included are data on related natural features and infrastructure such as rivers, roads, economic and administrative centers, medical facilities, religious facilities, etc. This paper describes the Kenyan School Mapping Project, whose objective was to collect such data for all Kenyan learning institutions and to integrate them in a GIS database that could be queried to provide useful information for educational planners, other professional users and average citizens. Results show that at the time of the project, there were nearly 73000 learning institutions in Kenya, ranging from early childhood schools to universities; useful information products on important educational indicators such as schools distribution, enrolments, pupil-teacher ratios and gender parity indices have also been generated from GIS analysis of the data. These results have demonstrated the utility of the database for its stated purpose and therefore shown the project to be a useful model that can be emulated by other developing countries.
Keywords: EMIS; GIS; KENYA; SCHOOL MAPPING

Organizing research and development at the intersection of learning, implementation, and design - Penuel, W. R.; Fishman, B. J.; Haugan Cheng, B.; Sabelli, N. (Educational Researcher, 2011)

Guided interaction as intercultural learning: designing internationalisation into a mixed delivery teacher education programme - Spiro, Jane (Higher Education Research & Development, 2011)
In this paper the process of building an international student community is explored. Strategies discussed include guided interaction within a virtual environment between home students studying in their own culture and international students studying at a distance. The context includes both the state and private sector in South East Asia, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. The subject is a Master of Arts in Education for practising in-service teachers of English. Through exchanging teacher narratives, students identify shared concerns and values about their profession and recognise connections with their peers in apparently widely different cultural settings. Student and tutor evaluations suggest that participants developed the competence of recognising connections between their own meanings and behaviours and those of others. They also deconstructed their assumptions and unexamined beliefs through engagement with others. The paper concludes by analysing how these competences impacted on the self-knowledge and practice of the participants, and suggests the generative principles which made this learning effective.
Keywords: home student experience; intercultural competences; international competences; savoir être; task design for internationalization; teacher development; teacher reflection

Guided interaction as intercultural learning: designing internationalisation into a mixed delivery teacher education programme - Spiro, Jane (Higher Education Research & Development, 2011)
In this paper the process of building an international student community is explored. Strategies discussed include guided interaction within a virtual environment between home students studying in their own culture and international students studying at a distance. The context includes both the state and private sector in South East Asia, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. The subject is a Master of Arts in Education for practising in-service teachers of English. Through exchanging teacher narratives, students identify shared concerns and values about their profession and recognise connections with their peers in apparently widely different cultural settings. Student and tutor evaluations suggest that participants developed the competence of recognising connections between their own meanings and behaviours and those of others. They also deconstructed their assumptions and unexamined beliefs through engagement with others. The paper concludes by analysing how these competences impacted on the self-knowledge and practice of the participants, and suggests the generative principles which made this learning effective.
Keywords: home student experience; intercultural competences; international competences; savoir être; task design for internationalization; teacher development; teacher reflection

An extended systematic review of Canadian policy documents on e-learning: what we’re doing and not doing - Borokhovski, Eugene; Bernard, Robert; Mills, Erin; Abrami, Philip C.; Wade, C. Anne; Tamim, Rana; Bethel, Edward; Lowerison, Gretchen; Pickup, David; Surkes, Michael A. (Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 2011)

Human Rights-based Approach to Programming - UNICEF (UNICEF, 2011)
A human rights-based approach is a conceptual framework for the process of human development that is normatively based on international human rights standards and operationally directed to promoting and protecting human rights.

Cost Effectiveness of Interactive Radio Instruction Program Karnataka: Basic and Program Cost Effectiveness - Bakshi, Shubhashansha (Working Papers, 2011)
The Program CEA extends to the study to an impact analysis of the Radio programs to assess whether the expenditure being made for this intervention is helping the students in improving their learning outcomes. This would then serve as a true measure of effectiveness that is; linking the outreach with the outcomes. This requires tracking a cohort of treatment and control groups over a period of three years. Also the study has documented the qualitative behaviour as observed in these groups. URL:[http://cbps.in/Publications.aspx].
Keywords: Attendance; CEA; Central Tendency; Cost Effectiveness; Enrolment; Interactive Radio Instruction Program; Karnataka; Qualitative analysis; Research; Teachers; cohort of treatment; data; outcomes; qualitative behaviour; school; villages

Digital Gender Divide or Technologically Empowered Women in Developing Countries? A Typical Case of Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics - Hilbert, Martin (Social Science Research Network, 2011)
The discussion about women’s access to and use of digital Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in developing countries has been inconclusive so far. Some claim that women are rather technophobic and that men are much better users of digital tools, while others argue that women enthusiastically embrace digital communication. This article puts this question to an empirical test. We analyze data sets from 12 Latin American and 13 African countries from 2005-08. This is believed to be the most extensive empirical study in this field so far. The results are surprisingly consistent and revealing: the reason why fewer women access and use ICT is a direct result of their unfavorable conditions with respect to employment, education and income. When controlling for these variables, women turn out to be more active users of digital tools than men. This turns the alleged digital gender divide into an opportunity: given women’s affinity for ICT, and given that digital technologies are tools that can improve living conditions, ICT represent a concrete and tangible opportunity to tackle longstanding challenges of gender inequalities in developing countries, including access to employment, income, education and health services.
Keywords: Damned Lies; Digital Gender Divide or Technologically Empowered Women in Developing Countries? A Typical Case of Lies; Martin Hilbert; SSRN; and Statistics

Role of Educational Technology at Primary School Level In District Karak (Khyber Pukhtunkhwa) Pakistan - Suleman, Dr (International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 2011)
The study was conducted to explore the role of educational technology at primary school level in District Karak (Khyber Pukhtunkhwa). The main objectives of the study were; to investigate the availability, usability and importance of educational technology; and to investigate whether primary school teachers are for the effective use of technologies for teaching learning process. The study was descriptive in nature. All the teachers and students at primary level in District Karak constituted the population of the study. Only three hundred and sixty six (366) primary school teachers; and two thousand and two students (2002) of primary schools (@ of 25% and 5% respectively) were selected randomly as sample of the study. The study was descriptive in nature. Two different questionnaires were prepared for teachers and students for the collection of data. After analysis of data, the researcher arrived at results that educational technology is very useful for the effective teaching learning process at primary level. It was found that educational televisions, radios, film strips, flip charts, VCRs, overhead projectors, multimedia projectors, educational softwares, computers, and internet facilities were not available in schools. Majority of the teachers were not using the available technology in their teaching learning process. It was also found that teachers were not trained for the effective utilization of educational technology.
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Building a high-quality teaching profession: lessons from around the world - Schleicher, Andreas (International Summit on the Teaching Profession, 2011)

ICT use in the teaching of mathematics: Implications for professional development of pre-service teachers in Ghana - Agyei, Douglas; Voogt, Joke (Education and Information Technologies, 2011)
Included in the contemporary mathematics curricula in Ghana is the expectation that mathematics teachers will integrate technology in their teaching. However, importance has not been placed on preparing teachers to use ICT in their instruction. This paper reports on a study conducted to explore the feasibility of ICT use in mathematics teaching at senior high school levels in Ghana. Interviews and survey data were used for data collection. Preliminary results showed that mathematics teachers in Ghana do not integrate ICT in their mathematics instruction. Among the major perceived barriers identified were: Lack of knowledge about ways to integrate ICT in lesson and Lack of training opportunities for ICT integration knowledge acquisition. To overcome some of these barriers, opportunities of a professional development arrangement for pre-service mathematics teachers were explored. Findings from the study revealed specific features of a professional development scenario that matters for ICT integration in mathematics teaching in the context of Ghana. KeywordsICT use–Professional development–Computer competencies–Mathematics education–Computer attitude–Ghana

You use! I use! We use! Questioning the Orthodoxy of One-to-One Computing in Primary Schools - Larkin, Kevin (Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 2011)
The current orthodoxy regarding computer use in schools appears to be that one-to-one (1:1) computing, wherein each child owns or has sole access to a computing device, is the most efficacious way to achieve a range of desirable educational outcomes, including individualised learning, collaborative environments, or constructivist pedagogies. This article challenges this notion, suggesting instead that 1:2 computing is an appropriate means of achieving such aims in primary school. It further suggests that 1:2 computing is preferable to 1:1 computing to achieve a balance between productivity, student engagement, social activity, and individualised learning. This article draws on data collected during the 2009 school year from four Year 7 classrooms (11- to 13-year-old students) with varied patterns of access to netbook computers. The researcher collected detailed information from two pieces of software installed in each computer and analysed the data through an Activity Theory conceptual and methodological lens. Recommendations from this research will assist school leaders in making informed decisions regarding 1:1 and 1:2 computing.

Mother tongue-based bilingual education in Papua New Guinea - Malone, Susan; Paraide, Patricia (2011)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Special Needs Education: Country Data 2012 (European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education, 2012)

Status of implementation of the ICT Curriculum in Ghanaian Basic Schools - Acquah, Bernard Yaw Sekyi (Journal of Arts and Humanities, 2012)
Keywords: Content Knowledge; ⚠️ Invalid DOI

Exploring the Efficacy of Student Response System in a Sub-Saharan African Country: A Sociocultural Perspective - Learning & Technology Library (LearnTechLib) - Agbatogun, Alaba Olaoluwakotansibe (Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 2012)

Access, Transitions and Equity in Education in Ghana: Researching Practice, Problems and Policy - Akyeampong, Kwame; Rolleston, Caine; Ampiah, Joseph Ghartey; Lewin, Keith M (CREATE Pathways to Access, 2012)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

The Impact of ICT as Another Route to Overcome Learning Barriers for Students with SEN: A Case Study in an Egyptian Context - Al-Gawhary, Wedad; Kambouri, Maria (International Association for the Development of the Information Society, 2012)
The purpose of this case study was to measure the impact of using ICT in Individual Learning Programmes of students with learning disabilities. Twenty five students and thirteen teachers took part in the research which was based on classroom observations. The Kappa coefficient was employed as a measure to statistically quantify the students' acquisition and progress in learning computer and literacy skills through raters' observations. A high correlation between Keyboard, PowerPoint, and literacy skills (writing, reading, and maths) was revealed suggesting the significance and impact of keyboard training as an essential component towards achieving educational objectives. Moreover, thematic analysis of the teachers' interviews provided a further dimension for understanding factors influencing the ICT integration process. These results further confirmed the positive impact of computer skills training on the students' learning experience which also revealed a strong belief in the right of every child to all learning opportunities, particularly ICT regardless of his/her abilities.(Contains 2 tables.) [For the complete proceedings, "Proceedings of the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS) International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in Digital Age (CELDA) (Madrid, Spain, October 19-21, 2012)," see ED542606.]
Keywords: Autism; Barriers; Case Studies; Cerebral Palsy; Communications; Computer Literacy; Computer Mediated Communication; Computer Software; Down Syndrome; Foreign Countries; Heterogeneous Grouping; Information Technology; Interrater Reliability; Mixed Methods Research; Semi Structured Interviews; Semitic Languages; Special Needs Students

New modes of teacher pre-service training and professional support - Anamuah-Mensah, Jophus; Banks, Frank; Moon, Bob; Wolfenden, Freda (Teacher education and the challenge of development: a global analysis, 2012)
Keywords: Economic development -- Effect of education on -- Developing countries.; Teachers -- Training of -- Developing countries.; Teaching -- Developing countries.

Design-Based Research: A decade of progress in education research? - Anderson, Terry; Shattuck, Julie (Educational Researcher, 2012)
Design-based research (DBR) evolved near the beginning of the 21st century and was heralded as a practical research methodology that could effectively bridge th...

From research & design milieu to a Living Lab: Ukombozi School in Tanzania - Apiola, Mikko-Ville; Lähde, Kristiina; Tedre, Matti; Pakarinen, Saila (IST-Africa 2012, 2012)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Australia-Indonesia for Pro-Poor Policy: the Knowledge Sector Initiative - Australian Agency for International Development (Australian Agency for International Development, 2012)

Introduction To Mixed Methods In Impact Evaluation - Bamberger, M. (2012)

Empowering Adolescent Girls: Evidence from a Randomized Control Trial in Uganda - Bandiera, Oriana; Buehren, Niklas; Burgess, Robin; Goldstein, Markus; Gulesci, Selim; Rasul, Imran; Sulaiman, Munshi (World Bank, 2012)
Nearly 60% of Uganda’s population is aged below 20. This generation faces health challenges associated with HIV, coupled with economic challenges arising from an uncertain transition into the labor market. We evaluate the impacts of a programme designed to empower adolescent girls against both challenges through the simultaneous provision of: (i) life skills to build knowledge and reduce risky behaviors; (ii) vocational training enabling girls to establish small-scale enterprises. The randomized control trial tracks 4 800 girls over two years. We …nd the programme signi…cantly improves HIV and pregnancy related knowledge, as well as corresponding risky behaviors: among those sexually active, self-reported routine condom usage increases by 50%. Furthermore, from a baseline of 21%, there is the near elimination of girls reporting having recently had sex unwillingly. On outcomes related to vocational training, the intervention raised the likelihood of girls being engaged in income generating activities by 35%, mainly driven by increased participation in self-employment. The …ndings suggest combined interventions might be more e¤ective among adolescent girls than single-pronged interventions aiming to change risky behaviors solely through related education programmes, or to improve labor market outcomes solely through vocational training.

Information and collective action in community-based monitoring of schools : Field and lab experimental evidence from Uganda - Barr, A; Mugisha, F; Serneels, P; Zeitlin, A (2012)

in Emergency and Post-Crisis Situations - Barry, Barbara; Newby, Landon (Global Education Cluster Working Group and IIEP-UNESCO, 2012)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Critical success factors for e-learning in developing countries: A comparative analysis between ICT experts and faculty - Bhuasiri, Wannasiri; Xaymoungkhoun, Oudone; Zo, Hangjung; Rho, Jae Jeung; Ciganek, Andrew P. (Computers & Education, 2012)
This study identifies the critical success factors that influence the acceptance of e-learning systems in developing countries. E-learning is a popular mode of delivering educational materials in higher education by universities throughout the world. This study identifies multiple factors that influence the success of e-learning systems from the literature and compares the relative importance among two stakeholder groups in developing countries, ICT experts and faculty. This study collected 76 usable responses using the Delphi method and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach. The results reveal 6 dimensions and 20 critical success factors for e-learning systems in developing countries. Findings illustrate the importance of curriculum design for learning performance. Technology awareness, motivation, and changing learners behavior are prerequisites for successful e-learning implementations. Several recommendations are provided to aid the implementation of e-learning systems for developing countries which have relevance for researchers and practitioners. Limitations as well as possible research directions are also discussed.
Keywords: AHP; Critical success factors; Delphi method; Developing countries; E-learning

Cognitive and socioemotional caregiving in developing countries - Bornstein, Marc H.; Putnick, Diane L. (Child Development, 2012)
Enriching caregiving practices foster the course and outcome of child development. We studied two developmentally significant domains of positive caregiving -- cognitive and socioemotional -- in more than 127,000 families with under-5 year children from 28 developing countries. Mothers varied widely in cognitive and socioemotional caregiving and engaged in more socioemotional than cognitive activities. More than half of mothers played with their children and took them outside, but only a third or fewer read books and told stories to their children. The GDP of countries related to caregiving after controlling for life expectancy and education. The majority of mothers report that they do not leave their under-5s alone. Policy and intervention recommendations are elaborated.

iPad Scotland Evaluation - Burden, K., Hopkins, P., Male, T., Martin, S., & Trala, C. (University of Hull, 2012)

Does Math Achievement h'APP'en when iPads and Game-Based Learning are Incorporated into Fifth-Grade Mathematics Instruction? - Carr, Jennie M (Journal of Information Technology Education, 2012)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Pre-service teacher training in Malawi: findings of a pilot study on the viability of media players for teacher development - Carrier, Carol; Finholt-Daniel, Matt; Sales, Gregory C (International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology, 2012)
As part of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID funded Malawi Teacher Professional Development Support project, a sub-task was the piloting of an alternative technology that could be used for improving the quality and consistency of teacher continued professional development (CPD). The pilot, which included 26 open and distance learning (ODL) student teachers, was launched in the spring of 2011 using a low-cost portable MP3 multi-purpose device. A short course on numeracy, containing 5 weekly lessons, was piloted. Each lesson consisted of one or two readings, two videos, and an assignment that directed the learner to complete tasks and document their completion using the camera and audio recorder features of the media player. The viability of using the media player for CPD was evaluated on the ease of use, effectiveness of instruction, and potential for long-term scalability. The evaluation results demonstrated that, with a small amount if initial training, the devices were easy to use and they effectively deliver instruction. Scalability, however, is critical to the long-term success of an initiative based on these or similar devices. An analysis suggests that an affordable option worth considering is the systematic, shared use of media player devices within schools. This approach could dramatically reduce the cost of using this alternative technology for ODL training to pennies per lesson. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
Keywords: Distance learning; Education; Learning; Malawi; Software; Student teachers; Teacher education; Teaching; __:import:01; __:match:final; __:matched; __:study_id:2096523; __finaldtb; ⛔ No DOI found

Edutainment Radio, Women’s Status and Primary School Participation: Evidence from Cambodia - Cheung, Maria (2012)
This paper explores the eﬀect of being exposed to education-entertainment (“edutaiment”) gender-related radio information on women’s status and primary school participation. Speciﬁcally, I examine one of the most popular radio stations in Cambodia using two identiﬁcation strategies. The ﬁrst exploits plausible exogenous variation in over-the-air signal strength between radio transmitters and villages within a district. The second exploits the variation across time and space in exposure. Using individual data, both approaches show that access to both entertaining and educating information about gender issues had a signiﬁcant impact on behavior by raising the women’s decision-making power within the household and increasing children’s primary school attendance. The impact was found in both poor and rural households conﬁrming that en radio broadcast is an eﬀective way to transmit information in the more marginalized areas. Suggestive evidence shows that the exposure also aﬀected attitudes towards domestic violence and the prevalence of son preference which is a stepping stone towards changing socially constructed gender norms. The eﬀect on investing in children’s human capital is also reﬂected by higher primary school enrollment three years after exposure.
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Teacher educators’ perspectives of the introduction of ICT in education in Bangladesh - Chowdhury, M (Critical Literacy: Theories and Practices, 2012)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Tweens with the iPad classroom—Cool but not really helpful? - Culén, A., & Gasparini, A. (2012)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Education Fund for Sindh Pilot Programme: 2012/13-2014/15: Business Case - DFID (Department for International Development, 2012)

Digital Study Hall Biannual report 2012 - DHS (Digital Study Hall, 2012)

The Impact of Scripted Literacy Instruction on Teachers and Students - Dresser, Rocio (Issues in Teacher Education, 2012)
Today, effective and creative teacher designed instruction is being replaced by scripted reading programs. These programs are changing the role of the teacher in the classroom from professionals to mere transmitters of knowledge. The idea that the role of the teacher had changed became evident while conducting a study with elementary school teachers from a local school. The five participating teachers were concerned about their English learners (ELs) not meeting their academic requirements. They attributed their students' low-test scores to the fact that a large number of them were proficient decoders, but struggled with reading comprehension and content knowledge. They felt that the scripted literacy program was rushed and did not give them enough time to take a closer look at students' individual reading needs. This article begins with a brief overview of the initial study and presents some of the unexpected findings. The article also explores some of the unintended consequences of scripted reading programs as well as the claims made by some proponents. At the end, it provides some alternatives to scripted instruction. (Contains 1 figure.)
Keywords: Action Research; Decoding (Reading); Elementary School Teachers; English Language Learners; Individual Needs; Instructional Effectiveness; Literacy; Reading Comprehension; Reading Instruction; Reading Programs; Second Language Learning; Teacher Attitudes; Teacher Responsibility; Teacher Role; Teaching Methods; ⛔ No DOI found

The Digital StudyHall (DSH) - DSH (Digital StudyHall, 2012)

Incentives work: Getting teachers to come to school - Duflo, Esther; Hanna, Rema; Ryan, Stephen (American Economic Review, 2012)

Tablet vs. Paper: The Effect on Learners' Reading Performance. - Dundar, Hakan; Akcayir, Murat (International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 2012)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Life planning by digital storytelling in a primary school in rural Tanzania - Duveskog, Marcus; Tedre, Matti; Sedano, Carolina Islas; Sutinen, Erkki (Educational Technology & Society, 2012)
Storytelling is one of the earliest forms of knowledge transfer, and parents often use it for teaching their children values and knowledge. Formal schooling, however, is less inclined to use storytelling as a vehicle for knowledge transfer, and even less as a vehicle for modern self-directed, student-centered, and constructionist pedagogy. Research literature reports experiences on student-centered storytelling in schools, but there is little information about such learning environments using modern information technology. Using a case study approach, we collected qualitative data from a workshop that tested a number of constructionist pedagogical approaches and one-to-one computing technology in a hypercontextualized storytelling workshop. In that workshop, which took place in a Tanzanian primary school, pupils used their XO-1 laptops as digital media tools for expressing their dreams and solutions to overcoming challenges in life. Results of this study suggest that digital storytelling offers additional advantages when compared to traditional storytelling. Designers need to follow six principles for a successful digital storytelling workshop: commitment, contextual grounding, previous exposure to the context, involvement of local experts, atmosphere of trust, and realistic flexible planning.
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Planning and designing educational technology for low-income communities: A participatory and proactive approach - Ezumah, Bellarmine (Disruptive Technologies, Innovation and Global Redesign: Emerging Implications, 2012)
This chapter is an excerpt of a study that addressed the above concern using the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) projects in Nigeria and Ghana as a case. It also situates the OLPC XO-laptop as a disruptive technology, because it aims at altering the existing pedagogy of the communities in which it was introduced through its constructivist approach. Moreover, as with most disruptive technologies, the XO laptop project is considered revolutionary, dramatically cheaper than regular laptops, convenient, and provides a different kind of learning content. As with the theme of this chapter, the XO laptop, although possessing disruptive technological qualities, was unable to achieve its goal due to lack of thorough planning and implementation of the adoption process. Results from the study informed the author to posit a model for technology adoption in low-income communities that is considered inclusive, participatory, and proactive, involving all stakeholders in setting up a policy. Such policy is expected to serve as benchmark for measuring the congruency of any proposed product whether disruptive or sustainable to the local need before its adoption.
Keywords: ___working_potential_duplicate

Preferences and skills of Indian public sector teachers - Fagernäs, Sonja; Pelkonen, Panu (IZA Journal of Labour & Development, 2012)
I25, J41, J45 Copyright Fagernäs and Pelkonen; licensee Springer. 2012
Keywords: Discrete choice experiment; Hiring quotas; India; Job preferences; Skills; Teacher recruitment

Academic achievement, technology and race: Experimental evidence - Fairlie, Robert W. (Economics of Education Review, 2012)

The effects of home access to technology on computer skills: Evidence from a field experiment - Fairlie, Robert W. (Information Economics and Policy, 2012)

The effects of home computers on educational outcomes: Evidence from a field experiment with community college students - Fairlie, Robert W.; London, Rebecca A. (The Economic Journal, 2012)

A study of online English language teacher education programmes in distance education context in Pakistan - Farooq, Muhammad U.; Al Asmari, AbdulRahman; Javid, Choudhary Z. (English Language Teaching, 2012)
Technology-based initiatives have transformed the process of teaching and learning activities at formal institutions generally and distance education institutions particularly. Distance education is at the heart of the digital age making maximum use of the emerging technologies. Researchers have favoured computer mediated communications (CMC) for improving the quality of teacher education in developing countries by providing access to more and better educational resources. The researchers designed a CMC-ELT blended model and offered online English language teacher education courses at post-graduate level. A group of students enrolled in MA TEFL programme of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) Islamabad Pakistan, was selected randomly and was guided through CMC-ELT blended model. The results of the study showed that the online support in distance education enhanced students' performance in terms of access, interaction and cost. The effective use of online support in distance education can improve the quality of English language teaching programmes in Pakistan.
Keywords: Access to Education; Blended Learning; Computer Mediated Communication; Control Groups; Costs; Distance Education; ERIC, Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE); Educational Quality; English (Second Language); Experimental Groups; Foreign Countries; Higher Education; Language Teachers; Masters Programs; Online Courses; Open Universities; Pakistan; Postsecondary Education; Pretests Posttests; Program Improvement; Second Language Instruction; Second Language Learning; Statistical Analysis; Student Attitudes; Student Characteristics; Teacher Education Programs; Teaching Methods; __:import:01; __:match:final; __:matched; __:study_id:2096524; __finaldtb

Tablet PCs–An Assistive Technology for Students with Reading Difficulties? - Gasparini, Andrea A; Culén, Alma Leora (2012)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Optical Needs of Students with Low Vision in Integrated Schools of Nepal - Gnyawali, Subodh; Shrestha, Jyoti Baba; Bhattarai, Dipesh; Upadhyay, Madan (Optometry and Vision Science, 2012)
Purpose To identify the optical needs of students with low vision studying in the integrated schools for the blind in Nepal. Methods A total of 779 blind and vision-impaired students studying in 67 integrated schools for the blind across Nepal were examined using the World Health Organization/Prevention of Blindness Eye Examination Record for Children with Blindness and Low Vision. Glasses and low-vision devices were provided to the students with low vision who showed improvement in visual acuity up to a level that was considered sufficient for classroom learning. Follow-up on the use and maintenance of device provided was done after a year. Results Almost 78% of students studying in the integrated schools for the blind were not actually blind; they had low vision. Five students were found to be wrongly enrolled. Avoidable causes of blindness were responsible for 41% of all blindness. Among 224 students who had visual acuity 1/60 or better, distance vision could be improved in 18.7% whereas near vision could be improved in 41.1% students. Optical intervention provided improved vision in 48.2% of students who were learning braille. Only 34.8% students were found to be using the devices regularly after assessment 1 year later; the most common causes for nonuse were damage or misplacement of the device. Conclusions A high proportion of students with low vision in integrated schools could benefit from optical intervention. A system of comprehensive eye examination at the time of school enrollment would allow students with low vision to use their available vision to the fullest, encourage print reading over braille, ensure appropriate placement, and promote timely adoption and proper usage of optical device.

Use of tablet technology in the classroom. - Goodwin, K. (NSW Department of Education and Communities, 2012)

Mobile Learning as a chance to enhance education in developing countries – on the example of Ghana - Grimus, Margarete; Ebner, Martin; Holzinger, Andreas (mLearn, 2012)
Education has become one of the biggest public enterprises in Ghana, taking about 11 percent of the GDP, enrolling about a quarter of the population in schools and other educational services (EDU 2011). The need for content, the demands of young people, requesting material for self-conducted learning, the lack of teachers, the small proportion of trained teachers and the lack of equipment in schools in rural areas are a huge challenge. The advancement of technology and high mobile penetration rates in developing countries has broadened the horizon of education. One possibility to overcome the problems is the application of the concept of mobile learning (called m-Learning). At first, it is required to describe the current situation in Ghana; this includes the identification of stakeholders as well as corresponding and influencing factors, which have to be taken in consideration when planning a holistic m-Learning-model for Ghana. MLearning implies inherently a chance in the didactical approach. In the next step, together with a group of teachers in Ghana, research will be done, aiming at the implementation of a sustainable m-Learning concept for secondary education. Integrating teachers in the first phase is a necessity, since it supports the development of a pedagogical concept, which is necessary for a change in pedagogical practice to integrate m-Learning in daily practice.
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

What works to improve teacher attendance in developing countries? A systematic review - Guerrero, Gabriela; Leon, Juan; Zapata, Mayli; Sugimaru, Claudia; Cueto, Santiago (EPPI: Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London., 2012)
Previous studies have found national averages of teacher absenteeism in developing countries that range from 3 percent to 27 percent. However, within countries absenteeism is larger in poorer, more isolated schools, contributing to unequal educational opportunities. The purpose of this paper is to report on a systematic review of research on the effectiveness of interventions aimed at increasing teacher attendance in developing countries, as measured by the rate of teacher attendance. Whenever data are available we also estimate the impact of these programmes on student achievement.
Keywords: potential solutions; ⛔ No DOI found

Indonesia's Quiet Springtime: Knowledge, Policy and Reform - Guggenheim, Scott (Indonesia Rising: The Repositioning of Asia's Third Giant, 2012)
There are reasons for thinking that this is at last Indonesia's moment on the world stage. Having successfully negotiated its difficult transition to...

An Intersectionality-Based Policy Analysis Framework - Hankivsky, Olena (2012)
Keywords: _C:Australia AUS; _C:Canada CAN; _C:Denmark DNK; _C:Ethiopia ETH; _C:Finland FIN; _C:France FRA; _C:Germany DEU; _C:India IND; _C:Ireland IRL; _C:Japan JPN; _C:Mexico MEX; _C:New Zealand NZL; _C:Norway NOR; _C:South Africa ZAF; _C:Sweden SWE; _C:Switzerland CHE; _C:United Kingdom GBR; _C:United States USA; __C:scheme:1

Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: formative evaluation report - Harley, Ken; Barasa, Fred Simiyu (Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa (TESSA), 2012)
Keywords: __:import:01; __:match:final; __:matched; __:study_id:2457446; __finaldtb; auto_merged; ⛔ No DOI found

Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: formative evaluation report - Harley, Ken; Barasa, Fred Simiyu (Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa (TESSA), 2012)
Keywords: __:import:01; __:match:final; __:matched; __:study_id:2457446; __finaldtb; ⛔ No DOI found

TESSA Formative Evaluation Report Executive Summary - Harley, Ken; Simiyu Barasa, Fred (Teacher education in sub-Saharan Africa, 2012)

Visible learning for teachers: Maximizing impact on learning - Hattie, John (Routledge, 2012)

The iPad as a Tool For Education - a case study - Heinrich, P. (2012)

iPad in education: A case study of iPad adoption and use in a primary school. - Henderson, S., & Yeow, J. (System Science (HICSS), 2012 45th Hawaii International Conference on, 2012)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Empowering personalized learning with an interactive e-book learning system for elementary school students - Huang, Yueh-Min; Liang, Tsung-Ho; Su, Yen-Ning; Chen, Nian-Shing (Educational Technology Research and Development, 2012)

Beyond Earthquakes: Leveraging GIS and Volunteered Geographic Information to Build Haitian Schools - ICTworks (2012)

Minimum Standards Handbook - Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (2012)

Systematic literature studies: database searches vs. backward snowballing - Jalali, S; Wohlin, C (2012)

Mobile learning for teachers in Latin America: exploring the potential of mobile technologies to support teachers and improve practice - UNESCO Digital Library - Jara, Ignacio; Claro, Magdalena; Martinic, Rodolfo (2012)

The relevance of authentic learning activities in developing competency and confidence of integrating technology in teaching among pre-service teachers in Tanzania - Kafyulilo, Ayoub (The African Symposium: An online journal of the African Educational Research Network, 2012)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Gathering Feedback for Teaching Combining High-Quality Observations with Student Surveys and Achievement Gains - Kane, Thomas; Staiger, Douglas (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 2012)

Viewing mobile learning from a pedagogical perspective. - Kearney, Matthew; Schuck, Sandra; Burden, Kevin; Aubusson, Peter (Research in Learning Technology, 2012)

Enhancing teachers' ICT capacity for the 21st century learning environment: Three cases of teacher education in Korea - Kim, Hyeonjin; Choi, Hyungshin; Han, Jeonghye; So, Hyo-Jeong (Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 2012)

Pakistan: A Hard Country - Lieven, Anatol (PublicAffairs, 2012)
An expert's compelling portrait of the complex, volatile country now situated at the fulcrum of international concerns.

Comparison of 1:1 and 1:m CSCL environment for collaborative concept mapping - Lin, C.-P.; Wong, L.-H.; Shao, Y.-J. (Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 2012)

Split-attention and redundancy effects on mobile learning in physical environments - Liu, Tzu-Chien; Lin, Yi-Chun; Tsai, Meng-Jung; Paas, Fred (Computers & Education, 2012)

Turning on mobile learning in Latin America: illustrative initiatives and policy implications - UNESCO Digital Library - Lugo, Maria Teresa; Schurmann, Sebastian (2012)

School-based teachers' professional development through technology-enhanced learning in Bangladesh - Mahruf C Shohel, M; Banks, Frank (Teacher Development, 2012)
To promote significant pedagogical change, the most successful teacher education programmes for the global south happen in the school context. This paper is based on a pre-pilot intervention study of an international education development programme in Bangladesh. Technology-enhanced learning, in this case the use of the Apple® iPod® (iPod touch®), was used to support teachers' teaching and learning in their school contexts. This paper presents evidence to demonstrate how such school-based technology-enhanced support systems impact on classroom practice and help teachers' professional development. Using the case of a pre-pilot intervention in the Underprivileged Children's Educational Programs schools, it explores the teachers' professional development by analysing interviews with the teachers who were participating in the pre-pilot intervention programme, and draws the conclusion from the collected data that school-based teachers' professional development through technology-enhanced learning is contributing significantly to in-service training in a resource-constrained context.
Keywords: Bangladesh; Education--Teaching Methods And Curriculum; Educational technology; Learning; Professional development; Teacher education; UCEP-Bangladesh; ___working_potential_duplicate; hand-held device; school-based; teachers' professional development; technology-enhanced learning

Teacher reflections and praxis: a case study of Indian teachers of English as a foreign language - Makarani, Sakilahmed A. R. (University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, 2012)
This case study engaged Gujarati English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in video-based reflection with the goal of increasing their reflective abilities and uncovering their understandings about reflective teaching practices in the Indian pedagogical and cultural context. The study aimed to explore, and gain a deeper understanding of how structural, institutional, and social dynamics of the larger socio-political cultural context of India affected the classroom teachers' thinking and their teaching practices. It was hoped that not only would the Gujarati teachers demonstrate an ability to reflect on their practice, but that they would also engage in a critical examination of the factors that impacted their context. The computer-based qualitative data analysis software, Atlas.ti, was used to analyze data using a grounded theoretical approach. The findings indicated that participants successfully engaged in reflection about their teaching using video as the tool for their professional development. Initially teacher participants had mixed feelings about recording and watching videos of their classroom instruction; however, teacher participants later enjoyed the experience, explicitly stating that such reflection helped them. The study also revealed that teacher participants perceived parental, social, institutional, and economic factors as influences on their students' learning, however these were simply identified as problems or conditions without any type of deeper critical analysis. Further, it was found that the teachers did not reach a critical level of reflection, nor did they consider taking action to address fundamental contextual issues. While this study showed that teacher reflection using digital video recordings of classroom practice can be a productive approach to meaningful teacher reflection in India, the study also demonstrated that teachers need specific exposure to deeper critical pedagogical thinking to go beyond simply identifying or blaming the social or economic issues embedded in their context. The study concludes with recommendations on how to reach critical teacher reflection. It is hoped that this case study will add to the growing body of research literature related to teacher self-reflection as a means to improving teaching practice and preparing teachers to take on social challenges in the Indian context. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Keywords: Case Studies; Computer Software; Cultural Context; ERIC, Resources in Education (RIE); Economic Factors; English (Second Language); Foreign Countries; Grounded Theory; India; Indians; Language Teachers; Qualitative Research; Reflective Teaching; Second Language Instruction; Second Language Learning; Social Influences; Teacher Attitudes; Teaching Methods; Video Technology; __:import:01; __:match:final; __:matched; __:study_id:2096525; __finaldtb

A breakthrough for Josh: How use of an iPad facilitated reading improvement. - McClanahan, B., Williams, K., Kennedy, E., & Tate, S. (TechTrends, 2012)

DES JOURNAL 2012.pdf - Meno, Yeba Judith Sama Mouokuio (Journal of Continuing, Open and Distance Education, 2012)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Gender bias in attitude towards girls in the Use of computers in selected schools in central Africa - Meno, Yeba Judith Sama Mouokuio (Journal of Continuing, Open and Distance Education, 2012)
Keywords: Equity of Access; ⛔ No DOI found

National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Policy - Ministry of Communication Technology (Nigeria) (2012)

The Relevancy of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory in Early Childhood Education - Msangi, Bilhuda (JOURNAL OF ISSUES AND PRACTICE IN EDUCATION, 2012)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

The effects of continuing professional development (CPD) though SPRINT on teacher classroom practices and student learning outcomes. In Collaboration toward Greater Autonomy in Educational Development - Mubanga, R (2012)

School Program of In-service Training for the Term (SPRINT) Program in Zambia -A Case of Collaboration Towards Self-Reliant Education Development - Mubanga, Ruth M (Japan Education Forum, 2012)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Research methods dictionary - Mugenda, Olive M; Mugenda, Abel G (Kenya Arts Press, 2012)

School-based professional development in one Lebanese school: how much is too much? - Nabhani, Mona; Bahous, Rima; Hamdan, Zeina (Professional Development in Education, 2012)
This case study examines the attitudes of the secondary and middle school teachers at one school in Lebanon regarding the effect of the school’s professional development (PD) programs on the quality of their teaching practices and motivation. It also examines teachers’ attitudes regarding PD as well as their recommendations to improve the quality of the PD program provided by their school. Questionnaires, focus group interviews and observations were conducted to collect and triangulate data results. Results show that teachers regard PD in their school as beneficial in general but able to be enhanced further. Although the attitude of novice teachers towards PD is more favorable than that of veteran teachers, findings show that the overall teachers’ attitude towards PD is a negative one. Modifications and suggestions to improve the quality of the PD activities are proposed by the teachers. The school offers a prosperous PD program, but its fruitfulness will remain limited unless an organizational structure is created.
Keywords: Lebanon; professional development; schools; ⛔ No DOI found

The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan - National Assembly of Pakistan (2012)

Fourth Population and Housing Census, Rwanda, 2012: Thematic Report: Characteristics of Households and Housing - National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) (Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN), 2012)

Stimulating Demand for Research Evidence: What Role for Capacitybuilding? - Newman, Kirsty; Fisher, Catherine; Shaxson, Louise (Institute of Development Studies Bulletin, 2012)
There has been a great deal of interest in recent years in supporting evidence-informed policymaking in developing countries. In particular, there have been efforts to build the capacity of researchers and research intermediaries to supply appropriately packaged research information (for example in the form of policy briefs) to policymakers. While supply of research information is important, it will only be used to inform policy if it is accessed, valued and understood by policymakers. In this article, we discuss our understanding of demand for research from policymakers; the capacities which underlie it; and how these might be supported.
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Appendix H Quality appraisal checklist – qualitative studies | Methods for the development of NICE public health guidance (third edition) | Guidance | NICE - NICE (2012)

Factors influencing the uptake of a mechatronics curriculum initiative in five Australian secondary schools - Nicholas, Howard; Ng, Wan (International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 2012)
While the ready-made LegoTM Robotics kits are popular in schools and are used by students at both primary and secondary year levels, using the Picaxe microcontroller (chip) to create simple electronic devices, including robotic devices is less popular. The latter imposes an additional challenge as a result of the need to construct the universal board with the chip in it—a challenge embraced in the cross-disciplinary mechatronics program in this study. This paper reports on how teachers from ﬁve Australian secondary schools put into practice technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK) developed from expert-led workshops and explores factors (intrinsic and extrinsic) that inﬂuenced the implementation. The results show that different strategies were adopted by the schools in implementing the programs. While teacher attitude played an important role in inﬂuencing the program’s success, being able to identify where the program sits within the curriculum and planning around timetable and facility constraints were also important factors to consider. The research indicated that teachers’ TPCK was most challenged in non-obvious areas such as diagnosing where faulty soldering joints were.

Computerizing Primary Schools in Rural Kenya: Outstanding Challenges and Possible Solutions - Ogembo, Javier Gordon; Ngugi, Benjamin; Pelowski, Matthew (The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, 2012)
This paper investigates the outstanding challenges facing primary schools’ computerization in rural Kenya. Computerization of schools is often envisaged as a ‘magic’, or at least a particularly efficient, solution to many of the problems that developing countries face in improving primary school education. However, while a great deal of consideration is given to the technical issues surrounding computer implementation, government policy makers, administrators, aid organizations and individuals participating in school computerization programs often have not carefully considered the contextual questions surrounding this endeavour. Specifically: 1.) what problems do rural schools actually want to solve with computerization; 2.) is computerization the most important priority for rural schools; 3.) are schools ready, in terms of infrastructure, for a computer in the classroom; or 4.) might there be better avenues for implementing access to the benefits of the digital age? These questions and the issue of school computerization are considered via results from a survey of thirty-seven rural Kenyan primary public schools. Results indicate that, while all schools had low ICT status making them primary targets for computerization, only eleven percent had at least one ICT compliant teacher, of which all were considered to require further training. In addition we found inadequate infrastructural preparedness – lack of access to electricity, internet; no classroom computer space, few desks, secure walls and protective roofing – posing severe challenges to the outstanding conception of computerization. We consider these results and make recommendations for better adapting programs for computer introduction, and also suggest the use of new innovative devices, such as cell phones, which might already have overcome many of the technical challenges found.
Keywords: ICT; cell phone; classrooms; computerization; primary schools; techno-literacy

Context and Appropriate Technology: The Unavoidable Partnership - Onguko, Brown (2012)
Teachers in rural parts of Kenya lack opportunities for professional development (PD). In addition, the teachers have no access to eLearning opportunities like their colleagues in urban parts. Among the factors that do not favor Kenyan rural teachers’ access to PD through eLearning include: lack of access to relevant technologies and lack of electricity. This paper shares research findings on provision of teachers’ PD through a blended learning approach, utilizing appropriate technologies in a rural school in western Kenya. Ten teachers and two Professional Development Teachers (PDTs) participated in this research. In the study, teachers’ needs assessment was done, to inform the instructional design on the topic: How to teach a large class of mixed ability students. The PD was implemented by engaging teachers in a variety of activities including: pairs of teachers collaboratively using a tablet to access self-study content; teachers studying through multimedia content; teachers planning and delivering lessons using activity-based learning and cooperative learning approaches; and PDTs and teachers participating in fortnightly face-to-face meetings. The findings of the study suggest that teaching practices of rural educators can be improved working with local experts to create locally-relevant content for needs-based PD, implemented in a blended learning approach while providing technology stewardship. Teachers accessed and studied through offline content; planned for and implemented cooperative learning and activity-based learning in lessons, using locally available materials; engaged in reflective conversations on successes and challenges; and spontaneously engaged in very lively professional dialogues. While teachers appreciated that it took long to prepare for active learning lessons, it was less strenuous to implement the lessons, because the students took responsibility for their own learning.
Keywords: __:import:01; __:match:final; __:matched; __:study_id:2096499; __finaldtb; ⛔ No DOI found

Teachers' professional development in a challenging educational context -- a study of actual practice in rural western Kenya - Onguko, Brown (University of Calgary, 2012)
This research adopted a design research approach, utilizing a mixture of methods including narratives, ethnographic observations, qualitative interviews and documentation of design artifacts. It was implemented in a challenging context in Western Kenya. The first research question for this study was: How might professional development (PD), offered through a blended learning approach and delivered by appropriate technologies, inform potential change to teaching practice in a challenging context in Kenya? Research question two sought to understand the implications of the professional development implemented in this study for teachers and professional development teachers (PDTs). Question three sought to understand the sustainability and scalability of the professional development approach The theoretical framework informing this research is based on activity theory- a needs-driven and goal directed process through tool mediation, and entails division of labor and isolation of partial tasks in a community of relationships (Vygotsky, 1978; Leont’ev, 1978; Engestrom, 1987; 1999; 2000; 2008). Key features of activity theory are active engagement and social interaction, which enabled teachers to collaboratively work with each other, studying through appropriate technologies to inform their teaching practices. Based on a review of literature, interviews with teachers and observation of teachers during face-to-face meetings in professional development and in their classroom practice, this study suggests that teachers in a challenging context can inform potential change to their teaching as a result of participation in locally developed content, delivered through blended learning on appropriate technologies. This study observes that through self-directed study on tablets, and occasional face-to-face interaction, teachers can transform into a community of learners that support each other in planning for their lessons. Content development involving local experts is critical to such interventions in challenging contexts, while drawing from global web content, harnessing open educational resources and being sensitive to local culture. Reflective conversations, professional dialogues and technology stewardship were all critical in informing teachers’ practice.
Keywords: __:import:01; __:match:final; __:matched; __:study_id:2457443; __finaldtb; ⛔ No DOI found

Digital Literacy: Definition, Theoretical Framework, and Competencies - Osterman, Mark D (2012)
This paper offers an overview of existing definitions and theoretical frameworks for digital literacy. The researcher makes recommendations for an agreed upon definition and theoretical framework and discusses implications for a relationship between digital and visual literacy skills.
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Pedagogical framework of m-learning - Ozdamli, Fezile (Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2012)

Assessing user acceptance toward blog technology using the UTAUT model - Pardamean, Bens; Susanto, Mario (International Journal of Mathematics and Computers in Simulation, 2012)
Blogs are among the many commonly used technologies for education and learning. They are also both conversational technologies and constructivist learning tools. Their interactive, collaborative, user-friendly, and instant archival features have transformed blogs into effective tools for enhancing case-based teaching methods in the asynchronous nature of the online environment. This study investigated the student populace’s acceptance of the blog technology through the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework. UTAUT integrates eight theories from social psychology and sociology in order to examine the effects of major factors on behavioral intention and actual use of blog to learn e-business course materials and topic discussions. The results showed that both social influence and performance expectancy had a significant relationship with behavioral intention, whereas effort expectancy did not. In this study, behavioral intention did not have a significant relationship with actual usage level of blogs as a learning tool.
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Evaluations of situational judgement tests to assess non-academic attributes in selection - Patterson, Fiona; Ashworth, Victoria; Zibarras, Lara; Coan, Philippa; Kerrin, Maire; O’Neill, Paul (Medical Education, 2012)
Medical Education 2012: 46: 850–868 Objectives This paper presents a systematic review of the emerging international research evidence for the use of situational judgement tests (SJTs) for testing important non-academic attributes (such as empathy, integrity and resilience) in selection processes. Methods Several databases (e.g. MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science) were searched to retrieve empirical studies relating to SJTs published between 1990 and 2010. Personal contact with experts in the field was made to identify any unpublished research or work in progress to obtain the most current material. Finally, reference lists were checked to access other relevant journal articles and further research. All research studies were required to meet specific inclusion criteria selected by two independent reviewers. Results Over 1000 citations were identified during the initial literature search; following the review of abstracts, full-text copies of 76 articles were retrieved and evaluated. A total of 39 articles that adequately met the inclusion criteria were included in the final review. The research evidence shows that, compared with personality and IQ tests, SJTs have good levels of reliability, predictive validity and incremental validity for testing a range of professional attributes, such as empathy and integrity. Conclusions SJTs can be designed to test a broad range of non-academic constructs depending on the selection context. As a relatively low-fidelity assessment, SJTs are a cost-efficient methodology compared with high-fidelity assessments of non-academic attributes, such as those used in objective structured clinical examinations. In general, SJTs are found to demonstrate less adverse impact than IQ tests and are positively received by candidates. Further research is required to explore theoretical developments and the underlying construct validity of SJTs.

Assessing the policy influence of research: A case study of governance research in Viet Nam - Pellini, Arnaldo; Anderson, James H; Tran, Huong Thi Lan; Irvine, Renwick (Overseas Development Institute, 2012)

CAST methods in modelling: Computer aided systems theory for the design of intelligent machines - Pichler, Franz; Schwaertzel, Heinz (Springer Science & Business Media, 2012)

CASTOR: learning to create context-sensitive and emotionally engaging narrations in-situ - Pittarello, Fabio; Bertani, Luca (ACM, 2012)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Report on the Implementation of the Tuition Fee Free (TFF) Report - Policy, Planning, Research and Communication Division, Governmen of Papua New Guinea (2012)

From redistribution to recognition to representation: social justice and the changing politics of education - Power, Sally (Globalisation, Societies and Education, 2012)

The 'new' new technology: Exploiting the potential of mobile communications and open educational resources - Power, Tom (Teacher Education and the Challenge of Development: A Global Analysis, 2012)
Keywords: Economic development -- Effect of education on -- Developing countries.; Teachers -- Training of -- Developing countries.; Teaching -- Developing countries.