Examples of Good Abstracts Accepted

Example 1

This research paper is set within the context of Newfoundland & Labrador, a Canadian province where about two-thirds of the school aged population is located in small rural schools. Many need to engage in web-based courses to complete school graduation requirements. Using Tinto's (1993) Student Integration Model and Nora & Cabrera's (1996) Student Adjustment Model, a study was designed and conducted through the support of the Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. The question posed was: What are the anticipated challenges and issues faced by rural youth in their transition into post-secondary education? 72 rural schools with a total of 2113 students in their final year of studies formed the research sample. The quantitative questionnaire addressed transition issues and challenges, along with selected demographic variables. Data revealed differences based on gender in terms of future career plans, the nature of intended post-secondary education, sources of funding, and general transition concerns. Most prominent were concerns about financial support, adapting to post-secondary institutions, their math skills, adjusting to increased independence, and time and money management ability. Students who had previously engaged in web-based courses typically had similar transition concerns as those who had not.

Abstract submitted at the 2008 Conference by Prof. Dennis Sharpe and Dr. Dale Kirby, from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, for the paper titled ‘Transition of Rural High School Youth Into Post-Secondary Education: Challenges and Issues’

Example 2

This research investigates the use of cogenerative dialogues (Roth, Tobin and Zimmermann, 2002) as a means to understand and bridge differences that arise in a diverse ninth grade science classroom. Issues explored include those related to ethnicity, gender, teaching and learning styles and physical (dis)ability. Within the cogenerative dialogue field, participants engage in critical reflection by making meaning of shared experiences through polysemic and polyphonic opportunities, generate agreed upon measures to address concerns and ultimately catalyze change at individual and collective levels. Analysis of videotaped vignettes of science lessons and activities helps to illuminate the dynamic interactions of cultural, social and symbolic capital (Bourdieu, 1986) that both students and teachers bring to the learning environment. The unfolding of events is examined through theoretical lenses grounded primarily in those that are socio-cultural in nature, explore social life through the dialectical relationship between agency and structure and examine emotional dynamics that are involved in face-to-face encounters. Results point to (a) a collective responsibility and distributed leadership in the teaching and learning of science, (b) improved social bonding and networks amongst students and teacher and (c) a heightened awareness of how to access and appropriate structures that are needed for improved science fluency.

Abstract submitted at the 2010 Conference by Prof. Gillian Bayne, from the Lehman College of the City University of New York, United States, for the paper titled ‘Improving Science Teaching and Learning While Creating a Sense of Solidarity Through the Use of Cogenerative Dialogues

Example 3

Although there is a great deal of research on teachers’ assessment practices, few empirical research attempts have been made to link these practices to students’ perceptions of classroom assessment environment. Theoretically, perceived classroom assessment environment refers to the overall meaning that students make out of the various teachers' assessment practices in the classroom (Brookhart & DeVoge, 1999). Operationally, it has been represented by two dimensions: learning- and harsh-oriented assessment environments (Alkharusi, 2007). Having identified the dimensions of student perceived assessment environment, the question being addressed in this study is what student and class characteristics are related to students’ perceptions of the classroom assessment environment? Surveys were administered to 1,636 ninth grade students and their corresponding 83 science teachers enrolled in public schools within Muscat educational region in Oman. Results from multilevel modeling techniques showed that students’ perceptions of the classroom assessment environment were shaped by student characteristics such as academic self-efficacy, class contextual features such as aggregate perceived assessment environment and academic self-efficacy levels of the class, teacher’s teaching experience and assessment practices, and interaction of student characteristics, class contextual features, and teacher’s assessment practices. Implications for research and practice were discussed.

Abstract submitted at the 2010 Conference by Dr. Hussain Alkharusi, from Sultan Qaboos University, Oman, for the paper titled ‘A multilevel Analysis Model of Teachers’ Assessment Practices and Students’ Perceptions of the Classroom Assessment Environment’

Example 4

Despite the clear identification of evidence-based teacher practices, the precise nature of reciprocal teacher-student interactions is not clear, particularly for students with or at-risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Grounded in Bandura’s social learning theory (1977) and Sameroff’s transactional theory of development (1995, 2000), this project used laptop computers and behavior coding software to gather 800 naturalistic observations in school settings of teacher-student interactions for both typically developing students and students with or at-risk for EBD. The following research questions were posed: (1) How do teacher practices affect student behavior for typically developing students and students at risk for EBD? (2) How does student behavior predict teacher behaviors? (3) How do contextual factors affect the predictability of these relationships? By developing a large-scale database describing teacher-student interactions, sequential analysis procedures were conducted using loglinear analysis identifying significantly predictable sequences of student-teacher behaviors. Then multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to determine that specific demographic variables have a moderating effect on observed conditional probabilities. The completed database identifies significant differences in reciprocal interactions particularly for students with EBD and points to a set of effective teacher practices that are grounded in empirical data. 

Abstract submitted at the 2010 Conference by Prof. Peter Alter, from the University of Louisville, United States, for the paper titled ‘An Analysis of Classroom Ecology, Teacher Practice, and Student Success’

Example 5

Since the rise of New Public Management, quasi-markets have been increasingly adopted for the provision and financing of public services in many countries. Since 1990, vocational education and training (VET) in Australia has been reconstructed within a quasi-market framework, which represents a major departure from past approaches. Quasi-markets are justified on the grounds that competition and choice produce superior outcomes to those of centralised planning models; including greater efficiency, responsiveness and quality, without adverse access and equity outcomes. Despite the scale and significance of this radical policy experiment, quasi-markets in VET have not been subject to broad-scale evaluation, either in Australia or elsewhere, and their impact and outcomes remain unclear and unquantified. This paper presents findings of a national study of quasi-markets in the Australian VET sector. Funded by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research, the study aimed to identify and evaluate the impact and outcomes of market mechanisms in VET. Informed by quasi-market theory (Le Grand and Bartlett 1993), a national survey was administered to a stratified sample of 2,581 providers. The findings suggest that quasi-markets have produced mixed outcomes, and raise significant questions about their efficacy and consequences from a public interest perspective. Policy implications are discussed.

Abstract submitted at the 2010 Conference by Mr. Damon Anderson, from Monash University, Australia, for the paper titled ‘Quasi-markets for Vocational Education and Training: A Broad-scale Evaluation of the Australian Experience’

Example 6

Students generally live up (or down) to the expectations set by teachers, with the expectations bestowed upon themselves holding equal importance (Slavin, 2006). Due to the rapid transitional nature and limited time of university courses, these expectations are sometimes ambiguous. In university classes it can be a daunting task to go beyond coverage of the core content and develop inter-personal, “caring” connections with each student. Students’ face-to-face interactions with social support networks (parents, friends, siblings) have given ground to the more common electronic communication methods such as phone, text messaging, and e-mail (National Survey of Student Engagement, 2007). Since communication and social connections play a large role in student routine, this research focused on e-mail as a means for instructors to build community with students, and thereby increase student engagement with the course-work. Teacher Education students (N=33) were given a series of assignments throughout the semester, and asked to compose “state of the union” e-mails concerning assignments, individual progress, and overall well being. The instructor responded to each student e-mail. Analysis of the assignments utilizing paired samples t-tests indicated significant differences, with higher average points on the post-e-mail assignments.

Abstract submitted at the 2010 Conference by Dr. Stephen Arnold, from the University of Arizona South, United States, for the paper titled ‘Prosocial Networking: Caring and Sharing Electronically to Increase Student Engagement’