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Mr. Mikal Abdul-Mateen
Social Cognitive Strategies/Correctional Education
Correctional educators are currently experiencing an emerging pro-rehabilitation climate. Researchers suggest that one way for practitioners to capitalize on the present climate is to gradually abandon ineffective education models and embrace innovative approaches that have been proven to work. As a correctional education administrator, I am aware of the growing evidence that shows how programs and specialized curricula that can alter antisocial attitudes and behavior have the potential to truly rehabilitate and ultimately reduce recidivism. A brief overview of a "social cognitive" curriculum will be presented, and its potential discussed relative to rehabilitation and recidivism.
Ms. Jean Ainger
The Professional Diagnostic Inventory: Promoting the Effectiveness of Elementary and Secondary School
Principals in the Central Valley Through University/School District Collaboration How can university /school district collaborations promote the effectiveness of elementary and secondary school principals through the use of the Professional Diagnostic Inventory (PDI)? The PDI is conducted through California State University, Fresno in collaboration with the local school districts to aid in the design of an individualized Education Plan for course work in the second tier leading to the Professional Administrative Credential. The one-day assessment includes paper and pencil exercises from 3in-box,2 to situational exercises working with the trained role players, and a third exercise in a 3leaderless group2. Trained evaluators assess the written work and the videotapes of the situational exercises and provide feedback on strengths and weakness of the practicing administrator. This session will demonstrate how the PDI results are used to design the course work for the second tier for practicing administrators in collaboration with the Educational Administrative Program at Fresno State.
Dr. Kenneth Aldrich
Joining Forces
During the Spring of 1994 , faculty member from the University of California, Davis and five doctoral students in the California State University, Fresno/University of California, Davis Joint Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership embarked on a journey which resulted in the impending publication of a series of working papers based on original research. This paper will examine the process of learning interview techniques, developing analytical papers based on those interviews, learning to write and edit for research-based publications, and, finally, this editor's growth from senior editor in a group of interested doctoral students to editor of what will be a series of working papers. Volume I is in the final editorial stage. Volume II is at the outline stage. The analytical papers referred to above were developed during (EDL 203) "Governance and Political Perspectives for Educational Leadership," then initially edited in (EDU 299) "Writing and Editing for Publication," and are in the final editing process for a collaborative publication by the Joint Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership and the University of California Educational Research Center.
Dr. Jeanie Behrend
Assessing Children's Thinking in Mathematics
Young children have natural strategies for solving mathematics word problems. The Cognitively Guided Instruction Project at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, under the direction of Drs. Thomas Carpenter and Elizabeth Fennema, has researched these problem-solving strategies of children and how primary-grade teachers utilize this information in their classrooms. This session will include research findings from these studies, videotapes of children and classrooms, and examples of linking research to practice. Topics of discussion will include: children's learning in mathematics, linking assessment and instruction, building on children's prior knowledge, and teacher as researcher.
Ms. Irene Borrego
Application of the Theory of Multiple Intelligences Principles by Special Education Teacher Interns in General and Special Education Learning Environments
The presentation will discus s the modifications that 20 special education interns/teachers enrolled at Fresno State implemented in their own classrooms. Modifications implemented were consistent with Howard Gardner1s Theory of Multiple Intelligence (1983) which honors, promotes and nurtures multi-modal student learning.This presentation will also explore the use of the Seven Multiple Intelligence1s (MI) theory in teaching, teacher MI background knowledge and classroom environmental adaptations made using the seven MI. One assumption is that the individual strengths of all students be nurtured and that the MI strategies utilized by the teachers will enhance student learning. Another expectation is to seek a more equitable approach in educating all students, including the linguistically diverse English learner and the special needs student.
Ms. Nancy Clark
When the Classroom is a Cave: The Story of How the Victorious Ethiopian Rebels Educated Medical Workers in the Bush During Their 17-Year Civil War
People at war have always been challenged to provide medical care for both their combatants and the affected civilians. In developing countries, such events are often complicated by a lack of economic support, available health care workers, supplies, and technical expertise. The recent 17 year long civil war in Ethiopia is an example of this situation. Amazingly, rebels fighting against a cruel dictatorship were able to develop a highly structured, innovative, and successful method of education in the bush for all levels of health care workers, including field surgeons and nurses. How two penniless teachers were successful under such dire circumstances holds lessons for all of us in education. This presentation is the result of interviews completed in Tigray, Ethiopia and will use slides of actual "classrooms" of the freedom fighters to help explain a most unusual type of education.
Ms. Rosario Cortes
Bilingual Emergent Readers
In 1974, the Supreme Court decision of Lau v. Nichols 3establishe[d] the criterion of obligatory bilingual education on the national level2 (Fishman & Keller, 1982). Such provisions for the educational needs of Limited English Proficient (LEP) students has thwarted attention on what programs exist to meet the needs of these students. Currently, the categories of programs designed to meet the needs of LEP students include: English as a Second Language (ESL), transitional bilingual education (TBE), dual immersion, and structured English immersion strategy (SEIS). Within these programs, the development of literacy poses questions when teaching emergent readers. It is crucial to identify the ways LEP emergent readers are being instructed to eventually assess which methodology is most effective in teaching reading. Due to the ongoing debate facing educators regarding the use of phonics versus the whole language approach, rigorous evaluation of the different types of literacy instruction will ensure that students in all bilingual education programs are receiving the best quality instruction. The objective of this present study is to describe how teachers develop literacy in Spanish-speaking students in early elementary grades. The student population in this district was "44.13% Hispanic and 53.05% White" (Ed-Data, 1997). The following topics and research methods will be discussed: 1) a review of the literature as it pertains to issues of literacy in bilingual education; 2) classroom observations of bilingual classrooms; and 3) individual interviews of bilingual education teachers in a rural school district.
Dr. Jim Cummins
Designs on Equity: Curriculum Access for English Language Learners Through CD-Rom Learning Systems
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Dr. Robert DeVillar
Ms. Binbin Jiang
Effective Learning in an Affective Context: The 5th Dimension Model
A salient concern of educators in the present age of rapidly changing demographics is how to provide equitable access to educational resources such as computer technology for minority children at all levels of the K-12 education, especially to those who are at-risk of school failure or under-achievement. The 5th Dimension program is an example of such an effort to provide elementary and middle school students with an affective, extended-day, computer-supported learning context that promote their all-around development, academic skills, and ability to work and play effectively with others.In 1996, the University of California Educational Research Center, Fresno (UCERC) established a 5th Dimension site in Fresno in collaboration with Carver Academy, Edison High School, King Elementary, California State University Fresno and Fresno City College. During its first year of operation, it has constructed an unbroken educational pipeline for K-12 students in Fresno. About 300 students from King1s Elementary (K-4) and Carver Academy (5th-8th) have interacted with tutors from Edison High School (9th-12th), Fresno City College, and Fresno State. The program site is located in Carver Academy in south-west Fresno, which has 98% minority students (51% African American, 29% Hispanic, and 15-18% Southeast Asian).This paper will identify and interrelate elements with respect to the effectiveness of the 5th Dimension Fresno site, its theoretical framework, the research findings of the first year, and to discuss the present status of the project in comparative, contrastive, and developmental terms. In addition, the presenters will use researcher-and student-generated videos and graphics to demonstrate the evolving nature of the project.
Dr. Wade Engleson
The Impact of Explicit and Implicit Values on the Organizational Socialization of Police Officers to Law Enforcement
The presentation will describe the investigation of the explicit and implicit value systems of a metropolitan police department. It will present results relative to how these values affect police recruit perceptions of Field Training Officers (FTO) and of the Field Training Program (FTP) of the agency. Responses to the evaluation form used in the FTP examined the relationship between training phase, gender, ethnicity, age of police recruits, and their perceptions of the FTP and FTOs.The FTP Critique Form developed for the investigation was completed by entry level police recruits who successfully completed the FTP from 1991 through 1996. Descriptive, inferential, and qualitative analyses were used to examine the research questions. The findings of the study were also reviewed by three professors from the Criminology Department at California State University, Fresno to elicit their opinions regarding the identified explicit and implicit values communicated to police recruits during the FTP.The study concluded that FTOs communicated the positive explicit values of the organization to police recruits who successfully completed the FTP. The data analysis also revealed that both positive and potentially negative implicit values were communicated to police recruits during the program. These findings indicate that the leadership style, organizational culture, and group processes of an organization are important factors in the socialization of new employees. Further recommendations and conclusions are included in the study for researchers and practitioners who may be interested in studying the training programs of law enforcement organizations.
Dr. Christian Faltis
What Academic Language in a Second Language Might Be Like
This presentation draws attention to the various ways that educators define academic language in both L1 and L2 secondary school settings, with an eye toward presenting an alternative to cognitive-based perspectives.
Dr. Marcia Freedman
Use of Negatively Worded Items in Survey Research Conducted in Multiethnic Communities
Including negative items in survey research is a common technique researchers use for protecting against response set. In an ethnically diverse setting, cultural style and limited English language proficiency may be important considerations when using negatively worded items. Presented will be exploratory data from astudy of self-efficacy and self-regulation in a computer-based course that indicate differences in participant1s responses to negatively-worded items suggestive of possible cultural and/or language proficiency effects. The poster shows results of a factor analysis of a self-regulation survey administered to a sample of 128 community college students (54% Asians, 24% Hispanics, 11% African Americans and 9% Whites) indicating separate positive and negative scales of reasonable to strong reliability. A brief review of literature on negative survey items provides a theoretical perspective from which to formulate questions and consider possible future directions.
Ms. Monica Fusich
Ms. Kimberley Robles Smith
The Future is Now: Critical Thinking Skills and the Internet
The form in which recorded knowledge and information are made available are rapidly changing and the research process is becoming more complex. The Internet, World Wide Web, Usenet, Email, and Listservs have added major new elements to information seeking by students. In addition to changes in format, many students are now convinced that all relevant information on a topic can now be retrieved on the Internet. They do not realize that, unlike traditional information sources, there is no editing of material on the Internet. Because of this lack of standards, it is crucial to instill in students critical thinking skills to evaluate and assess information retrieved on the Internet. Part of our mission as educators is to teach students to think critically, and the growth of the internet has emphasized the need to train them to decide what information is accurate, reliable, and valuable for research. This presentation will address students1 perceptions of internet information and how they can be trained to critically view this information.
Mr. Gregory Goodman
Alternative Education: New approaches for Disaffected Youth
Alternative Education is a book in progress. Its Top of Page include a history of alternative education, a review of this author1s experiences teaching at risk youth, and proposals to ameliorate the conditions that placed these students outside the mainstream. Using a psycho-social framework, the connection is demonstrated between success and failure for the 36% of our students who become the cohort of school leavers by identifying factions which contribute to their successful integration or lack of successful performance in alternative educational contexts.
Ms. Gail Heidbreder
Empowerment: From Concept to Physical Form
As children learn in a physical context, they also learn from that context. The physical environment of education is a pervasive hidden curriculum which defines not only how learning occurs, but what is learned. The built environment is never neutral, it is the result of a process of many culturally influenced choices.Empowerment is the process transition from lack of control to the acquisition of control over one1s life and physical environment. Taught by their school buildings and the rules for their use children often learn that they are disempowered, that their power and social standing are close to nonexistent.The administration and faculty of Woodlake High School continually confront the pervasive effects of the disempowerment of their students. Recognizing the importance of a secure and coherent space for their students, they initiated the renovation of the exterior of the school buildings and grounds in partnership with the community.The design is apparently simple, yet can be read and understood on many levels. It speaks the spatial language of empowerment. As constructed by its community, Woodlake High School has become a context in which a student can experience spatial freedom, a place where the educational culture and the culture of the student's home and community confirm one another rather than collide, a space in which the humanity of the students is affirmed rather than denied.
Mr. Kevin Jolly
Factors that Influence the Success of Beginning California Public Elementary School Principals
Beginning elementary school principals have a very challenging job. Many do not continue in administrative positions after the first year. Some leave by choice, often returning to the classroom, while others are not offered another contract. Without strong recommendations, it is very difficult for administrators to find subsequent administrative positions. This presentation will highlight research that is designed to build profiles that distinguish individuals who continue in administration from those who leave the field. Factors examined will include personal background, training, and job selection and how these relate to the success of beginning elementary school principals.
Ms. Marianne Jones
Focus Groups as a Social Science Research Methodology
The focus group is being rediscovered in the social sciences as a qualitative research methodology. Krueger (1994) states that "Focus groups produce qualitative data that provide insights into the attitudes, perceptions, and opinions of participants. The inductive researcher derives understanding based on the discussion as opposed to testing orconfirming a preconceived hypothesis or theory" (pp. 19-20). This method of interviewing has been defined as "carefully planned discussion designed to obtain perceptions on a defined area of interest in a permissive,non-threatening environment" (Krueger, 1988, p. 18). Stewart & Shamdasani (1990) highlight as an advantage of focus groups their value in producing high texture data expressed in participants' own words which are embeddedin their particular context. They state that "focus groups are designed to help understand how individuals conceptualize and categorize phenomena" (p. 141). Further, they identify focus groups as "particularly useful for exploratory research where relatively little is known about the phenomenon of interest" (p. 15). Morgan (1988) states that "the hallmark of focus groups is the explicit use of the groups' interaction to produce data and insights that would be less accessible without the interaction found in a group" (p. 12). Krueger, (1988) explains that attitudes and perceptions often grow out of interaction with others. People form their opinions and viewpoints through their experiences with those in their environments.This presentation will describe the use of focus groups as the primary vehicle for data generation in a specific study conducted by the presenter. Strategies, planning steps, and limitations of focus group methodology will also be discussed.
Dr. Anna Kato
A University--K-12 Partnership Model For Student Teacher Supervision
Being an effective supervisor of student teachers can be difficult and complex. We present a model of how university teacher educators, doctoral students and K-12 teachers are working in collaboration to prepare and supervise student teachers. The model includes mentoring relationships involving research faculty, clinical faculty in teacher education, doctoral students, classroom teachers and pre-service teachers. Presenters will discuss aspects of each mentoring relationship that they have found to be critical for effective communication and supervision of student teachers.
Mr. Ross LaBaugh
Mr. Michael Tillman
The Lit Review & You!
All sound research includes a comprehensive and exhaustive look at the relevant literature. And, all competent researchers know how to find the books, articles, educational documents, government regulations, conferenceproceedings and dissertations to answer their research questions.This 90 minute, mini-workshop is a practical, hands-on exploration of the educational and psychological literature. Using workstations in Education, Room 157, participants will see how information flows along certain channels and how to use computers to tap into these channels at various points. The workshop will cover the basic searching techniques used three Dialog Files: ERIC, PsychInfo and Dissertation Abstracts. Computer experience is not required, but we recommend participants have some knowledge of the Web and an active e-mail account.
Dr. Linda Lambert
Building Leadership Capacity in Schools
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Dr. Beti Leone
Dr. Rene Cisneros
Dr. Armando Baltra
Dr. MaryAnn Larsen Pusey
Assessing Student Learning in CLAD/BCLAD Courses
Too often, both students and teachers run rapidly through the few courses required for K-12 teachers to become knowledgeable to teach. Both feel at times overwhelmed with the amount of material that needs to be "covered" to meet the State guidelines in the areas of English language development, specially designed academic instruction in English (SDAIE), bilingualism, and first and second language acquisition. While these guidelines may be very detailed and comprehensive, they do not dictate the way that the material must be covered or, in the final outcome, the way that students should be assessed for their learning of the knowledge and skills necessary for teaching in multilingual, multicultural classrooms in California. The proposed panel presentation will begin with two important questions: 1) What are our students learning in our CLAD / BCLAD courses, and how do we know what they are really learning? 2) Will this be useful to them as they go into multilingual, multicultural classrooms? Related or ancillary questions are:What do our students need to know and know how to do to teach most effectively the linguistically and culturally diverse students in K-12 California classrooms? What are some of the ways that we do or might teach these skills and content? What are some ways that we do or might assess this learning?A visual component for the presentation will be available for viewing during and after the presentation. Each presenter will share ways of teaching and assessing CLAD/BCLAD course content. Time for questions and discussion will be included as well. Handouts.
Dr. Beti Leone
Dr. Rene Cisneros
Technology and Change in Education: How Are We Doing?
Over the years, studies in anthropology and social history have documented clearly the many cases where changes in technology have changed culture, ways of conceptualizing the world, and conducting social and economic affairs. Some studies describe monumental changes in culture; for example, the cultural changes generated by the transition from hunting and gathering technology to agricultural technology. The cultural changes in thinking, communicating, and education wrought by the invention of the printing press are other commonly known examples of technology-engendered cultural change. Other studies focus specifically on cultural changes induced in traditional cultures by the invention of particular tools, such as the metal plow, the tractor, or the water purifier. Today, we are experiencing the dawn of a major cultural paradigm shift in education, one configured by the introduction of new tools to the classroom, mainly the computer and telecommunications. The use of computer technology and telecommunications will affect many aspects of our life inside and outside the classroom. As educators, it is important that we begin to dialogue on the role and significance of technology in education, and even participate in shaping the new educational culture that will develop with the introduction of a new technology. The poster presentation will identify concepts pivotal to technology and culture change; give current examples of changes in classrooms and education in general generated by technology; and speculate on the direction such changes will take and ways that we can help shape these directions.
Mr. Gregory Lomack
Instructional Leadership Styles and Patterns for Students That Attend Impacted/Low S.E.S. Urban Elementary Schools.
Large and growing numbers of children live in and attend schools in impacted/low S.E.S. environments. The number of children living in poverty, according to official government estimates, now exceeds 20%. Many of these students come to school with unique problems that challenge prevailing instructional leadership styles and patterns. The majority of these children come from ethnically diverse backgrounds. Teacher education and professional development programs rarely provide the researc h or the strategies to assist teachers in working with these unique challenges. Research and dialogue are needed to assist new and veteran educators in developing and sharing ideas that help make instruction more accessible for our impoverished students. The purpose of this presentation is to determine what instructional leadership styles and patterns work best with children who attend urban elementary schools in impoverished areas.
Ms. Susan Macy
Local District Performance Standards: A Status Report
All public school districts in the State of California serving students in grades kindergarten through twelve are required to establish board-adopted, written performance standards for student achievement in all content areas, but more particularly in mathematics, reading and writing. Such standards should describe what all students at each grade level should know and be able to do and at what level of proficiency. Prominent among the mandates requiring the adoption of local performance standards are Improving America1s Schools Act (IASA), California Assembly Bill 265 and Senate Bill 1570, the Challenge School District Reform Initiative, and the Program Quality Review process.School districts across California vary considerably as to the status of their compliance with this mandate. The purpose of this study is to determine the status of performance standards in districts within the San Joaquin Valley and adjacent mountain areas, as well as to determine the resources used by districts who have begun the process of designing and adopting written performance standards for student achievement in language arts and mathematics.
Ms. Sandra Marroquin
Bilingual Education in Relation to English Only
Bilingual education was established in 1968 with the Bilingual Education Act. Since then, many types of bilingual education programs were developed first at the federal level followed by the state and local levels. Due to the current perceptions associated with the performance of such programs, movements such as Proposition 208 would eliminate Bilingual Education programs in favor of English Only instruction.This workshop will focus on the issues of Bilingual Education and the English Only movement. The workshop will compare and contrast the English For Our Children movement with Bilingual Education policy. The presentation will discuss theoretical research issues behind each of the above mentioned types of instruction.
Ms. Ann Mayse
SDRC: A Model for District/University Partnerships
The School Development Research Center was formed as a model for District/University partnerships in June of 1996. SDRC's purpose is to improve schools and student achievement in Fresno Unified School District (FUSD) while simultaneously improving the quality of educator preparation and continuing professional development.SDRC's major goal is to identify educational problems and questions that are directly linked to student performance and achievement and to support professionals as well as school site leaders in the integration of their knowledge and expertise to implement productive educational change.This poster presentation will document the research and projects completed to date in fostering the collaborative between FUSD and the School of Education and Human Development at the California State University, Fresno.
Mr. Jose Morales
Where Am I Going? Do Latino Students from a Rural High School See Themselves as Prospective Students for the UC or CSU System After Being Bombarded by Negative Outside Influences
Where am I going? Do Latino students from a rural high school see themselves as prospective students for the UC or CSU system?Many Latino students in rural areas of the San Joaquin Valley are part of the poor working class. Some of these students migrate with their parents who search for work in seasonal agricultural jobs yet others make ends meet throughout the year by working in odd jobs or working in the minimal jobs available during the winter months. This migration or lack of job stability, as well as the reality that many of these students are second language learners, are obstacles that other students do not have and are not normally considered. In the wake of propositions 187 and 209, these students are having to deal with realities their predecessors did not. There is a strong indication that they will have to deal with a new reality of 3English for the Children2 ‚ the Unz initiative. I have been attending a 3college prep2 physics class at a rural high school in the San Joaquin Valley with the hope of achieving some insight as to how these students are coping with all these changes. The purpose of this session is to share the insights that have been gained to this point and to find other avenues and strategies in order to increase the knowledge base with regard to this topic.
Mr. Henry Oputa
Cultural Education and Academic Success: From Practice to Theory to Practice Saturday School is a Cultural Education and Self-Esteem Program.
This program has been operating in West Fresno for over seven years. It was started based on intuition and based on the knowledge that African American children were not meeting their academic potential in public schools. Research will be presented that supports the latter. Also to be presented are model schools which teach from an Afrocentric perspective. The presenter will lead a discussion on the Saturday School program1s attempts to link seven years of practice to current educational theories in an effort to develop/improve practice.
Ms. Alessia OrtolaniMentoring Graduate Students
The role of mentoring in higher education is becoming increasingly recognized as a major determinant of a student1s academic and personal success. This presentation will review evidence from the existing literature that the relationship between a student and her/his mentor has significant effects on a student1s progress, achievement in research/scholarship, intellectual and personal development, creativity and professionalism, as well as on the student1s retention in the graduate program, time to graduation, and career choice.Unfortunately, in the higher education setting, definitions and standards for mentoring students are often nonexistent or very vague at best. As a result, a significant disparity often exists between the expectations of a student and those of her/his mentor, as well as between the quality of available mentors. The focus of this presentation is to identify those elements of mentoring that are critical to promote a student1s success by examining the interaction between graduate students and their mentors. As supporting evidence, the preliminary results of a recent survey of UC Davis graduate students will be presented.Discussed and defined will be the roles of graduate mentors in four critical areas: 1) dissertation guidance, 2) personal interaction, 3) financial support, and 4) career planning. In addition, based on the results of the graduate students1 survey, the presentation will identify areas of concern in the mentoring process. Also presented will be an evaluation of current mentoring practices. Finally, mentoring guidelines for graduate students and faculty based on the results of this research will be proposed.
Ms. Teresa Patterson
Corporate/University Partnerships: Strategies for Success
The purpose of this session is to present strategies for successful partnerships between corporations and 3traditional2 colleges and universities in providing college level education and training for corporate employees. Interviews with corporate leaders were conducted to gather information on what corporations look for when choosing a college/university partner and the characteristics of successful partnerships. A follow-up survey was sent to over 100 corporate education leaders to provide additional insight into why some corporations choose to partner with college/universities and why some do not. Trends in corporate education and adult learning suggest that we will see more of these types of partnerships in the coming years. An important question facing corporate educators will be the choice between establishing independent, stand-alone corporate universities or partnering with traditional institutions of higher education. This session is designed to help inform those in higher education about the implications of these alternatives, as well as the broader issues facing the effectiveness of these institutions in operation.
Ms. Belinda Pena
Dr. Janice Chavez
The Status of Education in South Africa
The education history in South Africa reflects massive deprivation and lack of educational provision for the majority of people. The inequities can be directly attributed to those social, economic, and political factors which have characterized the history of South African society during the years of Apartheid. These factors have resulted in a lack of educational opportunities, inequalities for white and black learners, and a highly inefficient and fragmented bureaucracy. The educational system has been supported by legislation and policy which entrenched these inequalities by institutionalizing racial segregation. The purpose of this presentation is to provide an understanding of the current status of education in South Africa and the issue and challenges that face South African schools.
Mr. Larry Perryman
Professional Development & Educational Reform
Many educational reforms today are misdirected even if well-meaning, for a majority of the problems emphasized by reformers--low test scores, high dropout rates, school violence--are in fact indicators of more deeply seated problems which are outside the purview of educators. The focus of the problems that schools can affect, and their solution, lie in individual classrooms and the interaction between teachers and students. The reforms that will make a difference are those that affect how teachers teach and students learn. Teachers1 thinking is directly influenced by their knowledge. Their thinking, in turn, determines their actions in the classroom. Thus, to help teachers change their practice, we must understand and influence their knowledge systems. Professional development programs that focus on teachers1 knowledge systems are especially important in today1s climate of reform.This presentation will identify effective teaching strategies that are considered necessary to realize educational reform and successful professional development programs that will bring about change in the classroom.
Ms. Terri Pieretti
Student Success Through Multidisciplinary Teams
The Fresno Unified School District in partnership with the Interagency Council for Children and Families, the Fresno Leadership Foundation, United Way, Community Health Systems, Evangelicals for Social Action, and a host of othershave been working towards a completely new delivery system of services that should result in less duplication, more accessibility and greater efficiency in the way services are delivered. The centerpiece for the delivery system is the creation of Child Family Intervention Teams anchored to Neighborhood Resource Centers (NRC) in high-risk school communities. The result of the extensive evaluation of the NRC process in light of the redesign of Fresno County's Health and Social Services system will be discussed.
Dr. Fatima Rodriguez
Controversial Issues in the Classroom
How do you handle issues of race and ethnicity, gender, affirmative action, homosexuality, etc. in the classroom? A preliminary study conducted by the presenter as a graduate student at Purdue University demonstrated that students did not like to hear professors1 lecturers on controversial topics, especially when the views differed from theirs. Those instructors who had more 3liberal2 views tended to be rated lower on the preliminary evaluations. This could be a problem for professors interested in obtaining high evaluation scores and who, therefore, avoid discussing controversial issues in the classroom.Part of sociology (conflict theory, symbolic interaction) questions the status quo and how we learn things in everyday society. Students in my classes are encouraged to challenge everyday norms and ways of doing things and to think of the potential solutions for existing inequalities.In such a multicultural setting as Fresno State, issues that deal with racial and ethnic minorities must be discussed. The question is how to get the classroom to think critically about such sensitive topics without offending them and causing a breakdown in learning. Ideas on how to create a classroom environment conducive to learning will be discussed.
Dr. Linda Rose
From Research to Practice: Multiple Roles of Research Methods Courses in Educational Leadership Programs
A doctoral program in educational leadership must help its students, working educators, to learn 3inquiry habits of the mind2 that will help them in the program and in their work. For this to occur, inquiry competencies must be embedded in all courses rather than isolated in a few methods courses. The program must make a conscious effort to identify and integrate research competencies into coursework. Inquiry tools for the first year1s coursework include reflection and self-exploration (through journal writing, class exercises and a leadership story), Internet research, and the case study method. Discussions in small groups develop information gathering processes. Students use qualitative methods (including interviewing and participant observation) for class projects that study real problems in school.Methods courses for second year students help them to use inquiry tools (interviewing, focus groups, survey questionnaires, coding, and analysis of ethnographic data, statistical processes) on existing issues. Students collect data at their own work sites or at unfamiliar sites. They are encouraged to use these tools to help their own professional decision-making processes. One example of the double goals of a class is learning to interview and do focus groups with strangers to gather data and to refine 3people handling2 skills. A student who designs a research project and analyzes data for a class project can use these skills to solve problems at their own school.The program helps the student to frame the dissertation as an integration of skills and competencies developed during the student1s first two years. Goals for the dissertation besides improving an area of educational practice include cultivating the student1s writing and analytical skills.
Ms. Marjorie Saenz
Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English
Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) is the current method teachers of second language learners are encouraged to use in the English-only classroom. To what degree is the methodology effective when instructing English Learners and what are the key variables that impact the effectiveness of SDAIE? The intent of this work-in-progress is to review the most recent educational research, and the fieldwork of an educator who provided extensive staff development in the use of SDAIE. One classroom was selected for observation over time to look for change of instructional practice and student motivation and learning; three teacher portfolios from the staff development will be reviewed, and samples presented of student work.
Ms. Isolina Sands
School Satisfaction of Females With Serious Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in Residential Treatment
The purpose of this study is to identify the perceptions of females with serious emotional and behavioral disorders in regard to their school satisfaction. The participants included approximately 40 females, ages 11-19 years, currently receiving services from a residential treatment facility for emotional difficulties. The participants were administered the Quality of School Life Questionnaire (Linnakyla, 1996). The items of the questionnaire describe the general positive and negative experiences in the quality of school life, under four central domains of school experiences: opportunities for success, adventure of learning, development of identity and status. The questionnaire consisted of 29 items using a four point Likert scale, from definitely agree to definitely disagree. Data will be analyzed as to the proportion of students responding under each of the Likert categories and the corresponding domain. The result and their educational implications will be presented and discussed.
Dr. Susan Schlievert
School-to-Work: Business and Educational Leaders Working Together
Jobs are changing. In an era of global economy, interaction, and competition dictate employment. Remaining competitive in a global marketplace requires the improvement of workforce quality through education that teaches the necessary skills and knowledge. The 3world of school2 must be linked to the 3world of work.2 With the advent of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the emergence of the European Union of Nations, and the burgeoning Pacific Rim industries, the United States has been heavily challenged. To maintain economic stature on a global level, the United States is reforming its educational system and the way in which its workforce is training. School districts are becoming aware of the need to make schools a meaningful training ground for work. CART, a joint project of Clovis Unified School District, Fresno Unified School District, and local businesses, seeks to provide education relevant to the workplace. It is scheduled to open in September, 1999.
Dr. Toshiko Sugino
Critical Thinking Skills for Japanese Students--Necessity and Application
The Ministry of Education in Japan recently conducted a new assessment test of elementary and junior high school students. The test included questions which would assess the students' ability to think and express their thoughts and ideas. Officials were rather distressed to find that school still emphasizes the knowledge based instruction and concluded there leaves much room for improvement in developing higher order thinking skills.Today in Japan, this tendency is seen in almost all the school subjects from elementary to high school, and English is no exception. In this presentation, I will first present a brief theoretical background on higher order thinking skills including critical thinking skills and why it is especially crucial for Japanese college students to acquire such skills. Secondly, I will introduce the procedures and materials used in actual freshman and sophomore classes; first, readings that offer stories to make students realize that there are indeed different values and ideas, and then readings of current issues which will eventually prepare them to present their opinions in their speeches in front of the class. At the end of the presentation, merits and some of the problems are discussed along with students' actual work and their opinions.
Dr. David Tanner
Assessing Student Performance: Understanding Bias
The current education reform movement has a number of expressions, one of which is more widespread testing than ever before. Testing appears to be the norm wherever selection decisions are made and yet as tests become ubiquitous, controversy surrounding their use also increases because of the possibility of bias. One of the artifacts of the testing technology is that ethnic, social class, and in some instances, gender groups perform differently. The problems particularly well illustrated in the competency testing of teaching candidates where that instrument of policy collides with another, less formal policy, which is to field a generation of teachers whose ethnic balance resembles society1s. In this paper, the presenter will use his own research to illustrate the degree to which ethnic and gender groups perform differently on the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST), and then use those differences as a vehicle for a conceptual discussion of test bias, item bias, and differential item functioning. These are topics which all who hope to participate in contemporary education ought to understand.
Ms. Cindy Toews
Enhancing Positive Behavior of All Students
Due to current legislation, including the Hughes Law, schools are being asked to not only provide academic curriculum, but to also provide instruction aimed at modifying anti-social behavior. These requirements include documentation and monitoring of established behavioral programs. The traditional approaches that have been utilized are cumbersome and require a great deal of time and resources. However, a level system implemented by Central Unified School District meets the legal mandates and results in positive behavioral change using a fraction of the time and resources needed in the traditional approaches. This presentation will provide an overview of the level approach, results of the program at Steinbeck School, as well as possible implications for colleges and universities.
Mr. Wayne Walters
The Relationship Between Teacher Training and Use of Constructivist Methodologies
Many state and national science organizations have called for teaching science in a more constructivist fashion. The Science Framework published by the California State Department of Education calls for teachers to use constructivist methods in their classrooms. In addition, many schools of education are preparing their novice teachers to use constructivist methods. What effect is this having on the kind of science teaching occurring in elementary classrooms? This presentation will give a brief overview of what constructivist teaching looks like. That introduction will be followed by a discussion of the results of a study examining the effects of constructivist training on teachers in a large metropolitan school district in the San Joaquin Valley. The study involved two groups of teachers. One group received extensive training in constructivist theory and methodologies. The other group of teachers received little or no training. A survey was administered to determine the extent to which constructivist methods were being used in the classrooms. The surveys were then followed by observations and interviews. Were there any significant differences in the science instruction occurring in the classrooms of teachers from the two groups? The session will not only be a vehicle for discussing the research findings, but also for suggesting future research and making policy recommendations.
Dr. Marilyn Wilson
Evaluation of Child Family Intervention Team
The Child and Family Intervention Team (CFIT) is a student study team with expanded membership that has been developed at some schools providing school-community linked services funded through California's Healthy Start grants. Typically the core is the school team (resource teacher, regular education teacher, administrator, parents, and appropriate support service personnel) plus the school nurse. The team is usually chaired by a social worker funded through Healthy Start or other grants and may include community members from mental health, probation, or other representatives of the juvenile justice system. This poster will present results of the baseline year evaluation of the CFIT model and examine the supportive effect of the CFIT on academic functioning and school behavior. Besides discussion of data regarding the outcomes and processes of the CFIT model, participants will learn how to compensate for and utilize the challenges implicit in school-based program evaluations.
Dr. Rassoul YazdipourCalifornia's School-to-Work/School-to-Career Program: In Search of a Complementary Plan
Workforce preparation, increased efficiency, and widespread economic development were among the main forces that led to the enactment of both the Federal School to Work Opportunities Law of 1994 and the California School to Career Plan‚also in 1994. The primary concern of both plans is preparation of students in grades K through 14 for employment and working for others. Consideration for self-employment and job independence have been left out in these plans. This can easily be seen from the related course offerings across our state, as well as the nation as a whole. All this despite the fact that according to a recent Gallup survey, 69% of high school students expressed interest in starting their own business.The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, I will provide a brief overview of the school to work program, along with the lessons learned in California and other states. Second, I will outline the elements of a proposed complementary plan that will mainly focus on the need for "entrepreneurializing" the curriculum‚ especially for grades K-14. As will be discussed in the main paper, the proposed plan has the potential of reaching and training many students that might otherwise drop out of their respective schools at one point in time.