Objective: This research investigated teachers' perceptions of the impact of professional development on the classroom instruction of secondary business teachers and the relationship between the impact of professional development and the number of hours spent in professional development. Background: Quality professional development for teachers can improve students learning. Research shows that more teacher skill and content knowledge translate into increased student achievement. Method: Descriptive and correlational research methods were used. Participants included 109 secondary business in one state who were asked to complete an online survey about the perceived impact professional development had on their classroom instruction and how many hours they spent in individual professional development during a 12-month time period. Results: Impact on instruction was considered positive since the average score of 118 reflected a modest agreement with impact statements. No significant correlation was found between the impact of professional development on instruction and the number of hours spent in professional development. Conclusion: Teachers revealed an overall satisfied attitude with the instructional impact professional development produced; however, more hours in professional development did not automatically translate into a perceived greater impact on instruction. Application: Professional development offerings should be carefully selected by the administrator and the teacher based on the needs of the teacher and his/her students. Introduction The purpose of high quality professional development is to improve student learning by improving, enhancing, or updating classroom instruction. Teachers are impacted through professional development because they learn to think and teach differently (PCBEE, 2005, Recognizing the need for change is seen as a condition for excellence in any school system (Crites, 2006). Professional development for the business educator has implications for teacher retention, curricula in teacher education programs, activities of professional organizations, as well as significant teaching improvements and student achievement (Crews, Moore, Rader, & Rowe, 2006). A resolute effort to maintain a knowledge base that is consistent with current trends can translate into positive results for students in secondary business classes. Purpose and Research Questions The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceived impact of professional development on business education teachers' classroom instruction. The following questions were answered: 1. What impact does professional development have on teachers' perceptions of the classroom instruction of secondary business teachers? 2. Is there a relationship between teachers' perceptions of the impact of professional development and the number of hours spent in professional development? Review of the Current Literature Professional development is the process that improves the job-related knowledge, skills, and attitudes of business educators (PCBEE, 2005), and the goals of this professional development are improved teaching and student learning. …
Objective: The purpose of study was to investigate the impact of question prompts designed to guide students' focus on context-related issues as they solve problems in a web-based environment. Background: Online discussions integrated with collaborative learning were used to examine student interactions and behaviors in an online discussion. Method: Twenty graduate students were randomly assigned to either the treatment (ten participants) or the control group (ten participants); one group received question prompts while working in the web-based learning environment while the other did not. At the end, they were asked to fill out an online questionnaire rating their confidence and competence levels in the problem solving process. Analyses were conducted to determine the impact of question prompts. Results: Statistical results showed that students who received question prompts from the instructor received significantly higher evaluations than students who did not receive question prompts when analyzed overall and when each rubric was analyzed individually. In addition, the study also suggested that online discussion had significant positive impact in developing students' deeper teaming. Conclusion: Question prompts designed by the instructor helped to enhance students' self-efficacy about their ability to solve complex problems. Application: The outcome indicated the importance of teachers' guidance and assistance to lead students into deeper learning. Although online learning provides flexibility and potential for deeper learning, the online discussion needs to be structured and moderated throughout the process. Deeper learning engages the learners who actively explore, reflect, and produce knowledge (Wickersham & McGee, 2008), and it has been gaining popularity over the past decade. Although current discourse and literature tends to encourage deeper learning as a desired outcome (Carmean & Haefner, 2002) what actually happens when online discussion tools are used may not reflect these principles. This disparity may be deeper than what researchers observe in actual practice. Embedding deeper learning theory into online discussion design by actively engaging the learners, providing them ownership of knowledge they have produced can only ensure that learning transcends the classroom. In order for deeper learning principles to be applied to online collaborative discussions, teachers must consciously consider the entire learning environment and how they articulate the processes within that environment. For example, Laurillard and McAndrew (2003) propose the design of generic learning activities that shifts teaching from a transmission model to a construction model. Their conversational framework is an iterative process that requires learners to engage, act, and reflect upon what they know and how they come to learn through the effectiveness of discussion in a web-based learning environment. There has been prolonged discussion about deficiencies in students' abilities to establish a higher order thinking base resulting from oversimplifying complex new knowledge and generating vague relationships between prior and new knowledge (Feltovich, Spiro, Coulson, & Feltovich, 1996). Students often process information superficially and mindlessly (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 2000). Lack of knowledge integration hinders knowledge acquisition and further impairs abilities to solve real-world problems. Deeper understanding is crucial because it stimulates awareness and capacity for monitoring, active reflecting, evaluating, and modifying one's own knowledge (Linn & Hsi, 2000). Collaborative discussions have the potential to enhance individualized learning experiences for learners in which their learning styles, prior knowledge, and specific learning needs are taken into account. Group discussions have been demonstrated to have a positive impact on learning by facilitating collaborative thinking and better understanding (Levin, 1995), and by raising self-efficacy through observing peer models (Brown & Inouye, 1978; Schunk, 1987). …
Objective: This study assessed the security vulnerability of the U.S. small companies' business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce network systems. Background: As the Internet technologies have been changing the way business is conducted, the U.S. small businesses are investing in such technobgies and taking advantage of e-commerce to access global markets and compete with the large companies in their industries. While e-commerce activities have become popular, cyber attacks to the e-commerce sites are also on the rise. Therefore, a need exists for a security vulnerability assessment of the U.S. small companies' e-commerce sites. Method: The study used a combination of three methods-Web content analysis, information security auditing, and computer network security mapping-for data collection and analysis of a sample of 79 Inc. 500 e-commerce sites. Results: The findings indicate that most e-commerce sites were outsourced to the Internet service companies and had the sites' network information publicly available on the Internet through the Google search. However, these sites had most of their ports closed, filtered, or behind firewalls with very few open ports. Companies in financial services, real estate, marketing, security, construction, education, and transportation were significantly more secure than other companies in protecting their network information. Conclusion and Recommendations: the U.S. small business B2C e-commerce sites were secure on average. But this degree of security is not enough. Therefore, this study provided recommendations such as how to secure network information, how to hide a site's IP address, and how to secure operating systems. In addition, the further research was recommended. Introduction Small businesses in the U.S. represent a majority of employers, create around two thirds of the nation's new jobs, employ about half of the nation's private sector work force, provide half of the nation's nonfarm, private real gross domestic product (GDP), and contribute a significant share of innovations, even in the economic recession (U.S. Small Business Administration, 2003, 2009). As the Internet technologies have been changing the way business is conducted, the U.S. small businesses are investing in such technologies and taking advantage of e-commerce to access global markets and compete with the large companies in their industries. The shoe retailer Zappos, TV manufacturer Vizio, and Internetphone service supplier VoIP Supply are just a few examples of small businesses actively involved in e-commerce activities (Brynjolfsson & Smith, 2000; Inc., 2009; U.S. Small Business Administration, 2000). While e-commerce activities have become popular, cyber attacks to the e-commerce sites are also on the rise. Such attacks would impair or even shut down the e-commerce business completely by damages such as Web site defacement, denial of service, price manipulation, financial fraud, credit-card information thefts, or other data breach (e.g., Greene, 2008; Hovanesian, 2008; Mookhey, 2004). According to Symantec's Global Internet Security Threat Report, 90% of all Internet security threats detected by Symantec during 2008 attempted to steal confidential information for financial gains and the Internet became the primary conduit for malicious attack activities (Fossi et al., 2009). In addition, a 2006 survey of 214 bank Web sites (Hovanesian, 2008) reported that 75% of the sites were vulnerable to hacking, with two big worrisome trends: (a) login boxes were placed on unencrypted Web (http) pages on a bank's domain and (b) the use of third-party services transferred customers to insecure outside pages. According to a cyber security report by Net Witness (Gorman, 2010), from late 2008 to early 2010, hackers gained access to a wide array of data at 2,411 companies, from accessing corporate servers that process credit-card transactions to servers that store large quantities of business data, such as presentations, intellectual property files, contracts, and even upcoming versions of software products. …
Background: The student teaching internship is the culminating experience and has been cited as the most significant, exciting, and difficult experience teacher candidates will encounter throughout their entire teacher preparation program. In order to prepare business teacher candidates for their internships, it is critical to understand the issues and challenges they will face during their student teaching. Purpose: As such, the purpose of this research study was to explore the unique lived experiences and frames of references of business teacher candidates regarding their issues, challenges, and barriers during their student teaching internships. Method: A qualitative phenomenological approach was implemented based on three data sources: (a) an online questionnaire; (b) a semi-structured focus group interview; and (c) an analysis of weekly journal reflections. Results: Based on 16 business student teachers, this qualitative study found three primary concerns: (a) addressing classroom management; (b) issues with the quadratic relationship; and (c) having compromising priorities. Conclusions and Recommendations: Thus, it is critical that teacher educators discuss strategies and techniques for classroom management, help form synergistic relationships with qualified and passionate mentor teachers and university supervisors, and only assign coursework that are critical for the development of the student teachers in their internships. Keywords: business education, student teaching, teacher development, teacher education, triad relationship Exploring Concerns of Business Student Teachers The student teaching experience has been declared as the most significant, memorable, and powerful experience teacher candidates encounter during their teacher preparation programs (Valencia, Martin, Place, & Grossman, 2009). The student teaching internship is also a pivotal time for aspiring teachers, because it oftentimes solidifies their passion (or lack thereof) for teaching. Due to the significance of this experience, it becomes quite problematic for those teacher candidates who do not perform well or encounter substantial issues during their internships. This leaves university supervisors and mentor teachers in a predicament, particularly because at this point it is often too late to engage in corrective action. However, knowing what significant issues and concerns prior student teachers have experienced may be a more proactive strategy for teacher educators. Teaching concerns are most likely expressions indicating the motivation for revelatory learning (Fuller, Parsons, & Watkins, 1974). Thus, teaching students about topics of little concern may not be of perceived value for teacher candidates. As such, teacher educators aspire to understand and address articulated concerns of teacher candidates to better prepare them for their student teaching internships, and their subsequent teaching careers (Crews & Bodenhamer, 2009). Moreover, prior research has found that investigating student teachers' concerns is important because concerns lead to stress, and this in turn may result in less teacher effectiveness in terms of decreased student achievement (Cakmak, 2008). Purpose and Research Questions The purpose of this research study was to explore the unique lived experiences and frames of references of business teacher candidates regarding their issues, challenges, and barriers during their student teaching internships. The following research questions were examined in this study: 1. What themes emerge as meaningful to business teacher candidates when they describe their student teaching internships? 2. What do business teacher candidates identify as primary concerns during their student teaching internships? 3. How different are the concerns of business teacher candidates compared to other teacher education disciplines? Related Research Other disciplines in teacher education have examined the issue of student and practicing teacher concerns. …
Purpose: This study was undertaken with grant funds provided by the Delta Pi Epsilon (DPE) Research Foundation, Inc., to assess the factors of professional commitment related to membership. Additionally, the respondents' perceptions about DPE affiliating with the National Business Education Association (NBEA) were investigated. Method: Of the 1,696 current and past members of DPE, 21% (357 respondents) completed the online survey. Results: A high affective commitment was held by the majority of respondents and a normative commitment was reported by approximately half. The respondents were evenly split about the costs of leaving one's profession being too high, but the majority believes few other employment options exist. Most respondents indicated that they a) believe data-driven (research) instruction/activities are important, b) value a DPE-NBEA affiliation, and c) would join a local/state DPE chapter if available. One of the characteristics of a profession is the existence of a professional association (Gardner & Shulman, 2005). However, while the number of individuals in professional jobs is growing, most professional associations saw their memberships peak in the 1970's and 1980's and have been in decline since that time (Bauman, 2008; O'Neil & Willis, 2005). According to O'Neil & Willis (2005), issues and challenges facing professional associations include: * Declining membership * Members weighing membership costs versus benefits * Decreased volunteerism among members * Increased costs of providing member services * Appropriate use of services offered via technology * Competitiveness of membership recruitment * Engagement in consortium endeavors with other organizations * Less member involvement, commitment, and loyalty to a professional career A professional association in this study represents a formal group of practitioners in a given profession (e.g., Delta Pi Epsilon (DPE), the National Business Education Association (NBEA)). Professional commitment is the attachment individuals form to their profession and their identification with that profession (Blau, 2003). This commitment is important to organizations because it leads to desirable outcomes such as increased organizational commitment (Demir, Sahin, Teke, Ucar, & Kursun, 2009; Wang & Armstrong, 2004), decreased intent to leave their profession (Ladebo, 2005; Parry, 2008), decreased intent to leave their current employer (Parry, 2008), and better ethical choices (Greenfield, Norman, & Wier, 2008; Taylor & Curtis, 2010). Professional commitment is important to professional associations because it potentially leads to increased membership and volunteerism among members. Professional commitment has a positive impact on professional development activities (Blau et al., 2008). Professional development activities include continuing education, attending a workshop, or presenting a paper. One would assume that a primary way a professional exhibits commitment to the profession would be through membership in a professional association. However, there is little empirical research as to this relationship. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factors that lead to professional association membership, the factors for sustaining membership in a professional association, and the relationship between professional association membership and professional commitment. Literature Review This section addresses studies contributing to the literature related to professional commitment, in general, and specifically within the context of professional association membership. This review begins with an overview of professional commitment focusing on its meaning, the antecedents, and its consequences. The review ends with the discussion of professional commitment and professional association membership. Professional Commitment While commitment to an employing organization is the most studied of work commitments, commitment to one's occupation, or profession, has also received considerable attention. …
Purpose: In the current economic climate, young people's attitudes and habits related to money management seem to be of great interest. The primary purpose of this study is to advance the knowledge base in the area of personal finance education. Methodology: This survey was administered by English teachers to a convenience sample population of 326 high school seniors, representing seven small, medium, and large public high schools in a midwestern state. The survey gathered the students' perceptions related to purchasing decisions and courses they had taken. Results: Findings included the following: (1) students expect to equal or surpass their parents' standard of living; (2) the strongest influence on students' money management decisions was their own independent thinking; (3) a part-time job was their most important source of income, (4) the median amount students spent in a month was $115; (5) when spending money, males were more influenced than females by external factors such as movies or the Internet; (6) business classes provided more helpful money management information than other classes; and (7) the personal finance topic taught the least often was home mortgages. Conclusion: A major conclusion was that these high school seniors have a positive outlook on their future earning power, in fact, expecting to equal or surpass their parents' standard of living. Introduction Financial literacy is essential for all citizens, regardless of profession, because their money management decisions have an enormous impact on their economic security. The current economic recession is focusing greater attention on the role of financial planning in attainment of appropriate financial results. Unfortunately, the necessary financial acumen is not always present, causing serious financial complications in families' everyday lives. During this economic climate, it is especially important to determine how people, especially students, acquire relevant information concerning spending and saving alternatives and to determine the extent to which wise financial behaviors are actually practiced. According to a recent survey of financial literacy (NFCC, 2009), one-third of adults had no savings at all, and a similar percentage did not set aside any annual income for retirement purposes. Various studies, such as Norvilitis et al. (2006) and Jones (2005), emphasize the need to train students in the effective management of personal finances. To improve instruction in personal finance, it is important to understand students' perceptions of money management, financial services, and what they learn about these topics in high school. The present study is intended to provide that information. Background Perspectives Personal financial literacy and the ability to apply it when making personal economic decisions are important to individuals throughout their lives. Frequently, decisions made in early adulthood will impact a person's entire life, especially decisions that adversely affect credit and finances. With the recent economic crisis crippling millions of individuals, a renewed interest in personal financial literacy concepts being taught at the high school level has emerged. State legislatures and boards of education are more likely to consider legislation to assure students graduate from high school with some knowledge of basic financial literacy concepts. This knowledge may be in the form of courses required for graduation or policies to ensure students receive foundational understandings. Personal finance instruction has increased over the last few years. Results from the National Council on Economic Education (2009) survey concerning the state of economic and personal finance education indicated that personal finance was included in the education standards of 34 states in 2009 as compared to 28 states in 2007, and economics was included in the educational standards of 49 states. However, only 13 states require a personal finance course for high school graduation (up from seven in 2007); but some of those states required courses in economics that included personal finance concepts but did not require standalone personal finance courses. …
Background: Previous research has advocated the use of an business curriculum, and has examined issues related to content, design and delivery of an However, no study was found that evaluated deans' perceptions of the importance of integration, the status of integration efforts, and the resources necessary for implementation. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the status of curriculum integration in business schools, factors influencing deans' perceptions of an curriculum, and the actual implementation of such a Method: Business school deans were surveyed. Then, survey logistic regressions were used to identify factors influencing a deans' perception of the importance of integration and resources influencing the actual implementation of an Results: The respondents indicated that the strongest motivation for curricular integration was the belief that it is critical to the future success of students. Faculty support was perceived to be one of the necessary resources for implementing curricular integration, and only 10% of respondents believed that an curriculum would lack faculty support. The only significant stakeholder variable was encouragement from the advisory board. Conclusion: The results generally indicated that resource availability is crucial to both the deans' perception of the importance of curriculum integration and to the actual implementation of the Interestingly, while the deans' perceptions of the importance of integration are not influenced by perception of faculty support for the task, faculty support is a key resource necessary to ensure implementation of an Introduction One of the recurring themes (Bohanon, 2008) in any discussion of the four-year business school curriculum is the concept of an integrated curriculum. An curriculum is an innovative method of business education with a broadbased, multi-disciplinary, organization-centric approach which departs significantly from the traditional function-centric business education (Athavale, Davis, and Myring, 2008). While curricular integration has long been advocated by both business and academic leaders, few schools have made significant progress towards its implementation; and few resources have been deployed towards its attainment (Athavale et al., 2008). The purpose of this paper is to examine the status of curriculum integration in business schools, factors influencing deans' perceptions of an curriculum, and the actual implementation of such a The evolution of the business school curriculum is often dictated by the needs of business school graduates, and the current emphasis on integrating the business curriculum is the result of the recognition that an organization-centric approach is crucial to the future success of business school graduates. Early references to the concept of business curriculum integration were made by Donham (1922, p. 22) who stated, there is a great need that men should from the beginning of their work build toward a coordinated structure of training rather than toward isolated units whose interrelationship is beyond their vision. The need for curriculum integration was reinforced by AACSB (2002, p. 20), which discussed the concept of blurring disciplinary boundaries, and stated: A prime example of concerns about currency and relevance of business curricula relates to the functional silos that provide the organizational framework for departments, core curricula, and even elective courses in typical business degree programs. Yet actual business problems or solutions rarely present themselves in neatly organized vertical silos. Paradoxically, much of the prior research in the area has examined the need for integration within specific functional areas. Brunei and Hibbard (2006) discussed the use of student teams to leverage cross-functional and marketing learning; Miller, Holmes, and Mangold (2007) discussed the integration of information systems applications into the marketing curriculum; David, MacCracken, and Reckers (2003) considered the incorporation of information technology in accounting education; Molyneaux (2004) discussed the potential benefits, student reactions and practical difficulties in integrating ethics in the accounting curriculum; Morris (1997) emphasized cross-functional integration and concurrent decision making in teaching production operations management; and Finley, Taylor, and Warren (2007) explained that one of the benefits of international travel in the business curriculum is a greater understanding of multi-disciplinary integration. …
Purpose: purpose of this study was to determine the perceived teaching and learning professional needs of [state] secondary business (N =233) in order to guide pre-service curriculum and in-service training activities. Method: Sixty-two percent (n = 146) of the 233 completed a survey instrument based on Borich's (1980) Needs Assessment Model. Calculated means and standard deviations represent importance and competence ratings for each instructional item, while mean weighted discrepancy scores (MWDS) inform the prioritization of in-service needs. Results: Results showed that pre-service training priorities should address motivating students to learn, using productivity software, and teaching students to think critically/creatively. Priority areas for in-service training needs associated with teaching and learning include teaching students to think critically/creatively designing/developing digital-age learning assessments, and motivating students to learn.. Introduction A nation's prosperity, security, and future well-being are dependent upon the success that its educational system has in preparing students with the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a global environment. Those on the front lines, our teachers, play a critical role in this endeavor. National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel stated, The key to turning out great students is great teachers (2009, p. 2). Other national leaders also recognize the importance of teachers. In a July 2009 speech, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan discussed the need for school improvement. Within his comments he identified many critical concepts, including the importance of excellence in teaching and good professional development (p. 3) for teachers. professional of career and technical education (CTE) is particularly important in that it addresses content areas that continuously evolve and advance (Fletcher Jr., 2006; Joerger, 2002; Medrich, 2005; Rojewski, 2002). Within the CTE content area of business education, the value of professional for is well documented by the Policies Commission for Business and Economic Education and other researchers and leaders in the profession (Crews, Moore, Rader, & Rowe, 2006; National Business Education Association (NBEA), 1997-2009; Shumack & Forde, 2008). Despite the agreed upon importance of professional for teachers, little research literature related to the identification and ranking of specific preservice and in-service needs of business exist. Crews and Bodenhamer's (2009) study of in-service business teachers' perceptions of priority areas for pre-service business teacher preparation programs was the only study found that prioritized professional needs of business teachers, and it focused exclusively on pre-service needs. 2009 study found that business believed classroom management, curriculum development, computer application skills, student motivation, and instructional strategies to be the top five most important topics that should be included within a pre-service business education methods course. Broadening the scope of the literature review to all areas of CTE revealed a number of studies that sought to identify and prioritize professional needs of teachers. Ruhland and Bremer's (2002) qualitative study of professional needs of novice CTE identified classroom management, curriculum development, and working with special populations to be of particular importance. Wichowski and Heberley (2004) surveyed state directors of career and technical education in order to identify priorities for professional development. They found that dual enrollment, integration of academics, reading programs, career clusters, and technical skill updating to be the highest rated needs. Within CTE fields, agricultural education has the most extensive body of research examining the in-service and professional needs of its teachers. …
Background: Business teacher educators and distance learning coordinators have the responsibility to deliver quality online courses and programs. Therefore, they must make sure that quality assurance benchmarks are present in online business education courses and programs. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which quality measures or benchmarks are present in e-learning business education courses and programs. Method: Survey research was conducted to determine whether benchmarks developed by the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) are present in online business education courses and programs. Results: Statistical analyses revealed that business teacher educators and distance learning coordinators agreed that IHEP benchmarks are present in their courses and programs. Both the business teacher educators and the distance learning coordinators considered rich course content and interaction to be important additional topics to address when assessing the quality of e-learning courses and programs. Conclusions: The educators and coordinators agreed that the IHEP quality assurance benchmarks are present in their e-learning courses and programs. And both groups think additional benchmarks, such as course content, interaction, reliability, and user-friendliness are also important benchmarks that should be included in e-learning course and program assessments. Recommendations: All new online programs should be assessed using both the IHEP standards and the new benchmarks that were identified in this study. Additional research should expand the scope and size of this study and possibly identify additional quality benchmarks that will help to ensure the highest quality of online courses. Introduction E-learning continues to be a major form of instructional delivery in many educational institutions. Teaching and learning in the virtual environment are increasingly popular since the setting offers students accessibility, flexibility, and convenience in their pursuit of continuous learning as well as economic incentives for educational institutions (Yeung, 2002). According to Allen and Seaman (2006), more than 96% of the largest postsecondary institutions offer e-learning courses. As a result of the growing popularity of e-learning, educators must ensure that quality instruction and successful learning are occurring in the e-learning environment. With the constant push to incorporate e-learning into curricula, effective assessment methods and strategies are also major concerns for educators. Purpose of the Study Business teacher educators have been leaders in the area of distance learning and Web-based instruction (Tesone, Alexakis, & Wayne, 2003). Often, business teacher educators work closely with distance learning coordinators at their institutions to offer quality e-learning courses and programs. A review of the literature revealed that online instruction and its effectiveness has been widely researched (Henderson, 2005; Henderson & Chapman, 2007). Research showed that online instruction is as effective as traditional instruction (Russell, 1999; Allen & Seaman, 2004). However, a limited numbers of studies address the problem of how quality is measured. This study will examine the extent to which quality measures or benchmarks are present in e-learning business education courses and programs. Research Questions The study attempted to answer the following questions: 1. What are the personal and employment characteristics of business teacher educators and distance learning coordinators who offer business teacher education programs at their institutions? 2. To what extent are quality assurance benchmarks present in institutions that offer business education programs? 3. To what extent are additional quality assurance benchmarks considered important by business teacher educators and distance learning coordinators? …
Background: The literature contains very few studies that focused on evaluating the impact of professional development activities on student learning. And, many of these studies failed to determine whether the professional development activities met their primary goal-to improve the process. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to use the current literature to determine the characteristics of evaluation activities used to assess professional development that focus on the integration of instructional technology into teaching practices. The primary goal was to propose a high-quality model to evaluate the impact of educators' professional development on student learning. Method: A content analysis was done to gather data. The study focused on 20 purposefully selected, published studies, involving more than 10 participants each, and completed between 1998 and 2008. Results: The study found that about 65% of researchers used questionnaires or interviews to measure the impact of professional development activities, about 20% used pre/post tests and 15% used case studies. Other methods included journaling, videotaping and focus groups. The evaluations focused mainly on measuring the impact of the training on teachers' perceptions of their competence, their integration of the new skills into their curricula or their self-efficacy. None of the studies focused on measuring student after teachers' professional development. Conclusions: Most of the professional development evaluations failed to go beyond the assessment of the participants' perceptions, focusing on tangential elements such as logistics and satisfaction with the training. Recommendations: The study recommends that the evaluation of professional development activities focus on student instead of participants' satisfaction or self-efficacy. It proposes a five-step model to help ensure that this is done. Implications: Business educators are encouraged to use the proposed when planning and assessing professional development activities related to the integration of instructional technology into teaching practices. The model offers the opportunity to more effectively evaluate information technology professional development initiatives. Introduction In addition to the difficult task of finding teaching methods that support effectiveness (Bok, 2005; Kendall, 2006), the American educational system is facing other significant challenges, including the accountability for educational outcomes, which is receiving increased attention (American Council on Education, 2006). In response to the challenge of higher accountability for educational outcomes, Federal, state, and local educational stakeholders continue to invest large amounts of resources in the professional development of teachers. This is an attempt to develop educators who are empowered to (a) integrate instructional technology into teaching practices effectively, (b) use sound methodologies to deliver high quality content area instruction to achieve pupil outcomes, (c) keep up with changes in pupil standards, and (d) adapt instruction to effectively address the needs of an increasingly diverse student population (Lawless & Pellegrino, 2007). For instance, The U.S. Department of Education allocated nearly 700 million dollars in the year 2004 to facilitate the comprehensive and integrated use of educational technology into instruction and curricula to improve teaching and student achievement (Lawless & Pellegrino, 2007, p. 577). Embedded into this goal is the intent to provide professional development opportunities for teachers, principals, and school administrators to develop capacity to effectively integrate technology into teaching and learning (Lawless & Pellegrino, 2007, p. 577). However, schools continue to struggle to maintain standards for high quality teaching while constantly engaging in the recruitment of new highly qualified teachers and the retention of these new hires as well as their veteran teachers (Guarino, Santibanez, & Daley, 2006). …
Background: According to research, adolescent reading skills tend to be poor, and increased pressure from Federal legislation has been placed on educators to improve these skills. Research lacks on business teacher educators' preparation to provide reading skill instruction. Purpose: The research purpose was to better understand the perceptions of business teacher educators regarding the integration of reading instruction into high school business courses and the influence of selected variables on their perceptions. Method: A quantitative descriptive design was used to determine the perceptions of 191 business teacher educators responsible for teaching the methods courses to business teacher candidates. Over half (111, 58.12%) responded to the mailed survey. Results: Although most (99, 89.1%) business teacher educators agreed or strongly agreed that high school business teachers should integrate reading instruction in business courses, 64 (58.7%) indicated they disagreed or strongly disagreed that business teachers should be held accountable for teaching reading in business courses. Length of teaching and focus of employing college were found to significantly influence perceptions. Conclusions and Recommendations: The majority, except those with 16 to 20 years of experience and those employed at universities primarily focused on teaching, had favorable perceptions towards the integration of reading skills. However, they did not support holding business teachers accountable or responsible for the development of student reading skills. Additional research needs to be conducted to determine factors contributing to the statistically significant differences in perceptions based on demographics factors such as length of teaching career and focus of institution where employed. Additional research also needs to be conducted to determine the extent to which business teachers are prepared to develop their students' reading skills. Introduction Historically, the focus of adolescent reading research has been the development of models/strategies for improving reading skills. However, future research is likely to include methods of preparing teachers to improve students' reading skills and the impact of reading skill development on student achievement. Business education scholars are well aware of the increased attention being placed on the development of reading skills. In fact, the Policies Commission for Business and Economic Education (2006) issued Policy Statement 78, which called for the integration of rigorous and relevant business content and skills with crossdisciplinary academic core requirements (p. 18). Moreover, current legislation, including the newly reauthorized Carl D. Perkins Act and Child Left call for research-based interventions to improve the reading skills of participants (Carl D. Perkins, 2006; No Child Left Behind, 2002). The National Assessment of Vocational Education Report (2004) noted that coursework in Career and Technical Education [(CTE)] content is not likely to improve students' academic skills, such as reading. While CTE has been reported to have had little impact on reading skills, national studies continue to call for content-based reading instruction (Biancarosa & Snow, 2006; Kamil, 2004). The call for integration of reading skills into content-area courses was grounded in the belief that content-area courses enhanced with reading skill instruction could contextualize reading concepts and assist in improving participant reading skills. In order to integrate reading skills into CTE courses, additional information is needed to determine the most effective method for integrating reading instruction in content-area courses. Research suggests that reading skill instruction occurs with implicit or explicit instruction. Based on research from the National Reading Panel and the International Reading Association, explicit literacy instruction is identified as the best choice for effectively integrating adolescent literacy instruction (Kamil, 2004; Moore, Bean, Birdyshaw, & Rycik, 1999). …
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to synthesize perceptions from field about current issues and to propose future directions for field of business education. Method: A modified three-stage Delphi study was carried out with business educators who attended national conferences and/or belonged to national professional organizations. After a first stage of Likert-style surveys about trends, assumptions, and practices in field, business educators, in second stage of study, provided open-ended responses to questions about issues, and, in third stage, responded to an online twenty-statement Likert-style survey which also included open-ended responses. Results: Key concerns for leaders in field relate to: balancing general education versus career preparation purposes; determining how to balance public, private, and special legislative financing of business education programs; responding to legislative mandates, while an elective course area, for incorporating academic content into applied business courses; and differentiating business education as a field responsible for a wide range of content. Conclusions/Implications: Given breadth of content, quality teacher preparation is a challenge as options for becoming licensed have both shrunk as higher-education programs in business education have disappeared and have expanded with alternative and online licensing options. Parts of field, information technology, in particular, are not unique to business and require preparation at a variety of levels. Teaching technology effectively also requires balancing technical content with content implied in problems chosen requiring technical solutions. Other parts of education use technology and participate in instruction in this area. Similar content overlaps can be in other business content areas, such as consumer education within economics. The challenge to business educators is to make sure that business content remains prominent and compelling. Introduction The scope of curriculum in business education is very broad. When various levels of education system are considered, P- 12, postsecondary, and within industry, breadth of business education becomes even more apparent. Because of that breadth, defining business education can be complex, confusing, and difficult. Content areas such as technology, career education, marketing, management, personal finance and other business areas make different demands on professionals at various school levels and beyond, as they affect nature of our curriculum and instruction. At same time Carnevale & Desrochers (2003) point out that to ensure appropriate skill levels that enable youth to access quality jobs - those with expanding skill demands - American education system will need to become more efficient and effective. The authors point out, In secondary schools, curriculum challenge lies in alignment of academic and applied curricula. The traditional vocational curricula have not been successful in teaching core math and verbal competencies. And while current academic curriculum, the new basics, represents state-of-the-educational art in producing cognitive skills, it is organized as a set of discrete disciplinary hierarchies and is taught in an abstract manner that discourages interdisciplinary and applied learning. In addition, current academic curriculum in both secondary and postsecondary institutions does not lend itself easily to teaching of problem solving, behavioral skills, positive cognitive styles, or occupational competencies. (p. 74) Several studies in recent decades have identified consistently more abstract and general content required for eventual employment preparation (Levy & Murnane, 2004, Resnick & Wirt, 1996, Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills, 1991). One recent document addresses demands for both basic academic skills and economic preparation. …
Abstract This article provides a review, analysis, and synthesis of recruitment strategies for business education from the flourishing 1970s to today's declining enrollments and program suspensions. A historical overview, continuing challenges, and best practices for business education recruitment are discussed. A large shift in business education programs has occurred throughout the country over the past 25 years. A once-flourishing field cycles back and forth into survival mode as colleges and universities have suspended business education programs for lack of enrollments, or often times, merged business education with other program areas to make the best use of resources in an effort to save business education. The negative pressure from administration can be devastating to business education programs, not to mention, business education faculty. While not extensive, a lot of research has been done on recruitment strategies in business education (FFBE, 2008; Liddel & Frances, 1999; Lynch, 1986; Mentz & Whiteside, 2003). Successful recruitment is critical to the continued existence of business education in postsecondary institutions. Publications often serve as manuals and suggestions for why business education programs are critical and why recruitment and retention are imperative; but they do not often explain how to maintain the programs or how to recruit and retain students. Most current articles give the reader the impression that the need for business education recruitment is obvious, but the articles seldom compare and contrast specific strategies that have been used in past recruitment for business education. An assessment of those recruitment strategies is necessary to determine the future direction for effective recruiting efforts. Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study was to review, discuss, assess, and synthesize the major research findings on recruitment strategies for business education. The primary focus of the research addresses recruitment strategies from the high enrollment era of business education in the 1970s to the declining enrollments of today's programs. The synthesis includes an analysis and discussion of best practices and changes over the past 25 years that have been proposed and used in recruitment for business education. While the study focuses on business education programs and recruitment of business education students at postsecondary levels, it is necessary to address programs and recruitment at the secondary level as well. Introduction Business education began with the need to prepare office workers for clerical duties. American independence and industrial growth brought a need for the government to establish business courses in school curricula as businesses created more specialty areas such as bookkeeping, records management, and letter writing. Business education has also fulfilled a vital role in socializing students as consumers in society- teaching ethics, money management, and other business concepts needed in life. The content area of business education has changed over the past half century as a result of changing times and technologies. At the secondary level, business education has typically consisted of business subjects such as bookkeeping (accounting), shorthand, office administration, typewriting, general business, data processing, and computer applications. At the postsecondary level, business education has typically referred to secretarial programs and business teacher education programs; although, the general view of business education might also refer to any business administration program such as marketing, accounting, finance, and management. After all, business education is teaching for and about business. Hence, business education is notably versatile and can take on several directions; perhaps a broader perspective will strengthen recruitment efforts and business education programs. …
Problem: No systematic research has explored the refereed publications records of vital business educators. Data Collection Procedures: A total of 120 prominent business educators were mailed a survey about their publication practices and history, yielding a 61% usable return rate from 73 completed questionnaires. Results: The six research questions yielded the following major findings. The number of refereed publications ranged from a low of 1 to a high of 147, accounting for a percentage of refereed to total publications ranging from 13% to 100%. The percentage of co-authored publications ranged from 0% to 100%. Taking a sabbatical leave (p = Conclusions/recommendations: Those aspiring to be prolific refereed publications authors should be guided by study findings, especially taking a sabbatical leave and publishing from the dissertation. Refereed Publications of Vital Business Educators Publish or perish is a phrase often heard in academia. It is increasingly prudent advice given the importance that such higher education accrediting bodies as the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) are placing on faculty members' publications. Scholarly productivity is commonly reflected by such benchmarks as the total number of publications and the total number of refereed publications (NCATE, 2008; Shinn, 2008). Publications, especially refereed ones, build the individual faculty member's reputation as well as that of his or her department, college, and university. Refereed publications are portable scholarly wealth that faculty members can use to their advantage for advancement at their current educational institutions and mobility to better positions at more prestigious educational institutions around the world. Further, the quality, often determined by reputational ranking of the journal and its authors, and the quantity of the publications authored by practitioners are perhaps the best gauges of the vitality and status of an academic discipline. Consequently, business educators, like other academic professionals, should devote considerable effort and attention to improving their publications records, especially refereed ones. Literature Review This section presents a review of the literature about publications record, vitality, collaboration, and sabbatical leaves. Publications Record Scholarly productivity has become important in an era of accountability and assessment in higher education. The Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index, a new device to measure the scholarly output of doctoral programs, is produced by Academic Analytics and examines a number of book and journal articles published by each program's faculty, as well as journal citations, awards, honors, and grants received (Fogg, 2007, p. 5). Approximately 7,300 programs were rated with the Index at 354 higher education institutions, including 177,816 faculty members in 2005 (Fogg, 2007). What influences scholarly productivity? Bartlett, Kotrlik, Higgins, and Williams (2002) studied the research predictors for business educators and found that conducting research and publishing while in the doctoral program, gender, and the number of graduate advisees accounted for 51% of the research productivity. Further, faculty with teaching responsibilities at the graduate level only published more than others (Barbezat, 2006). While at some institutions graduate faculty teach only two courses and are likely to have more graduate assistant time available to aid in publication production, at other institutions graduate faculty do not have the benefit of these perks and have stronger publication records perhaps because of engagement with students and subject matter at the graduate level. …
Post-secondary teacher educators strive to prepare student teachers for the classroom. However, post-secondary teacher educators must seek the input of experienced secondary teachers to assist them in developing such prepared student teachers. Secondary educators in a southeastern state were surveyed to obtain data in the areas of: 1) the most important things educators believe education student teachers should do during student teaching; 2) the most important topics teacher educators at colleges/universities should cover in education methods courses prior to the student teaching experience; and 3) the most frequent student discipline issues current educators face today. The findings from this study have implications for student teachers, current educators, and teacher educators. Introduction Post- secondary teacher educators strive to prepare student teachers for the classroom. This challenging task involves several skills for students teachers to become prepared for the classroom. Such skills include managing classrooms, working effectively with diverse learners, organizing skills, lesson planning, teaching, and other soft skills. Student teachers must recognize the need to prepare secondary students for graduation and the workforce. Secondary students need the following traits and skills upon graduation: dependability, attention to detail, teamwork, obtaining and analyzing information, problem solving, and writing clearly (Coplin, 2004, p. B5). This is important information for education student teachers to keep in mind when they work with secondary students during student teaching and as they transition into becoming first year teachers. According to the Policies Commission for Business and Economic Education (PCBEE) Policy Statement 78, business teacher education programs must prepare prospective teachers who can help their students become confident, skillful, and interested participants in the economic and environment (PCBEE, 2006, p.l). Business education student teachers will also prepare many secondary students for post- secondary education. However, secondary and post- secondary educators differ in their opinions about the skills students need to succeed in post- secondary education (ACT, 2006). Post-secondary educators do not believe that achieving state standards results in students being prepared for college. Data from the American College Testing (ACT) National Curriculum Survey® 2005-2006 provides this evidence. Secondary and post- secondary educators were asked the following question: How do you think your state's standards prepare students for college-level work? The results for those answering or very well are listed in Table 1 below. Consequently, secondary educators have a much higher perception of their state's standards in preparing students for college-level study. Conversely, postsecondary educators do not agree as noted by the low percentage of respondents indicating students were prepared well' or very well. In addition, the ACT National Curriculum study investigated the preparation of students for college. Preparing secondary students for employment, however, is equally important. A discussion should occur between secondary and post- secondary educators along with student teachers as to whose role it is to prepare students for employment upon high school graduation. This discussion will help student teachers be more prepared to understand their role in educating others. Should school systems be tailoring the education process to produce graduates with the skills necessary for immediate employment or should that responsibility belong to the future employers (Krahn, Lowe, & Lehmann, 2002)? Student teachers must be aware of a school's educational goals, along with educators in the school, as to how students are being prepared and what skills are being taught to help students be successful in the workplace. …
Objective: The study examined male and female business college students' perceptions regarding the need for a match between personal and corporate ethics, whether success in business depends on ethical behavior, and the types of ethical misconduct that warrant the most severe managerial disciplinary actions. Background: The literature contains mixed findings relating to gender differences and ethical perceptions. In general, females tend to act in a more ethical manner in the workplace. Method: A questionnaire was used to elicit respondent judgments concerning the importance of ethics in business and the disciplinary action misbehaviors warranted. Results: The results indicate that perceptions may differ by gender. Females perceive more of a need for corporate ethics to match personal ethics and regard ethical behavior as more important to business success than do males. Except for misconduct relating to honesty and technology appropriate use issues, female students perceive that workplace misconduct deserves more severe punishment than do the male students. Application: It is important that business students understand that individuals approach situations with differing values and expectations. Discussing ethical situations in the classroom helps students entering managerial positions be ready to set and communicate workplace expectations. Introduction Misconduct in the workplace is common (Ethics Resource Center, 2007). Managers can expect to face situations where they will need to determine the appropriate disciplinary actions relating to employee misconduct. Multiple variables, including years of experience and levels of personal ethical conviction, influence the seriousness with which a manager views an ethical situation (Peterson, Rhoads, & Vaught, 2001). Another variable that may influence the perceptions of an ethical situation is the manager's gender. Overall, women tend to act in a more ethical fashion when faced with ethical dilemmas in the workplace and tend to score higher on ethical reasoning (Ritter, 2006.) However, the research relating to ethical perceptions and gender differences shows inconsistent results (Valentine & Rittenburg, 2007). Kuo, Lin, and Hsu (2007) encouraged more research on gender differences relating to business ethics. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in male and female business college students' perceptions regarding the importance of business ethics and the seriousness of business-related misconduct. Review of the Literature Organizations demonstrating a strong ethical commitment have been shown to have fewer incidents of employee misconduct (Sauser, 2005). In a business setting, management is responsible for setting, communicating, and modeling behavior expectations. According to Robin (1999) new employees want guidance on acceptable behaviors and look to supervisors as role models. A company-wide ethical commitment requires strong leadership with training and consistent reinforcement on the value of ethical behavior to the organization (Ethics Resource Center, 2007). It has been demonstrated that personal behavior can be influenced by the behavior of others in the workplace (Schminke, Ambrose, & Miles, 2003). Workers tend to adjust their personal standards to those of the organization. Anand, Ashforth, and Joshi (2005) found that recent hires with no history of unethical behavior willingly participated in the same unethical behaviors as their new co-workers. The new employees rationalized that such actions were acceptable because the actions were prevalent within the organization. According to Dunkelberg and Jessup (2001) appropriate employee behavior should be rewarded and misconduct punished so that a clear message regarding organizational expectations is consistently communicated to all employees. Woo (2003) stressed that it is the business educator's responsibility to help students understand that as business leaders they will have power and influence and that their decisions and actions will be scrutinized. …
The focus of this study was 1) to identify pre business college freshman observed classroom behavior (personal, technical, and behaviors) in high school versus college, and to compare by gender (male to male; female to female), and 2) to identify pre business college freshman perceptions of classroom behavior in college, and to document any differences between gender (male to female). A total of 202 pre business freshmen in computer application classes completed a 15-item instrument at the end of their first college semester. Results of the study indicated that reported observations of classroom behaviors change between high school and college. Overall, male to male and female to female observed classroom behaviors were similar in that they were basically significant on the same items. Perceptions of classroom behavior did differ by gender. Females indicated significantly higher levels of agreement that five of the fifteen perception items of classroom behavior were unacceptable. This paper provides implications for business education professionals who are teaching computer applications courses. Further areas of research areas are suggested. Introduction Students who enter a university as freshman students bring with them beliefs shaped by their experience. Male students and female students differ in their perceptions of classroom behavior that they observe, including perceptions of ethical and unethical behavior. The attitudes and beliefs of students enrolled in a computer applications course may have been shaped to a great extent by their past experience with computers, and students in such courses may demonstrate classroom behaviors that other students consider unacceptable. College students observe classroom behavior and perceive behaviors as acceptable or unacceptable according to their personal beliefs. Students included in the study were students identified as pre business freshman students, or students who had not yet declared a major but intended to major in a field in business. These students were included in the study because they were in their first college classes and could more accurately compare their high school and college experiences. Students reported their perceptions of acceptable/unacceptable classroom behavior in three areas: personal, technical, and collaborative. Personal behaviors included such behaviors as promptness in arriving at class, inattentiveness, and language. Technical behaviors included use of cell phones, computers, and iPods in class. Collaborative behaviors included behaviors related to class assignments, such as receiving help on a test from another student or handing in another's work as his/her own. One focus of this study was to identify student responses in situations that involved working together in ways that are unacceptable to their instructors. These behaviors are identified as collaborative and in this study are considered unethical by instructors. However, as the literature shows, students generally consider these behaviors as acceptable (ethical). Of interest to the authors in particular were student observations and perceptions of behaviors that would be considered unethical in academia. Review of Literature Personal ethical beliefs have an impact on individual decision making. If an individual is faced with ethical and unethical alternatives, the beliefs and values of that decision maker determine behavior. What does the person see as the rewards for a given behavior? Of what value to the decision maker are outcomes associated with selected ethical or unethical actions? What penalties for unethical action will be borne by the individual? For students, what behaviors reflect their personal beliefs about ethical or suitable behavior? Students come to a college/university setting with their beliefs shaped by past experiences. Conduct is related to those beliefs; a student who has strong ethical beliefs, for example, is more likely to make different decisions in ethical dilemmas than a person without such strong beliefs. …
Is instructor presence important in an online distance education class? Yes, said the students of this mixed methods research study. Students (n=241) enrolled in 31 Web-based sections of classes at four Midwestern post-secondary institutions in two different states were surveyed. The survey instrument included both the Rovai Classroom Community Scale (CCS) and the Roblyer Rubric for Assessing Interactive Qualities in Distance Courses. The data suggested that the instructor elements with the most impact were Instructional Designs for Interaction, r=.448, p Selected students (n=42) were then interviewed to determine if they perceived instructor presence was important. The instructor was mentioned by 81% of the students, either individually or in conjunction with content and/or other students, as a major factor in helping students to develop community in the online environment. Students enrolled in a course, whether distance education classes or traditional face-to-face courses, with the exception of independent study courses, generally expect to have classmates, i.e. other students enrolled in the course. While they may not take advantage of it, students in traditional classrooms have the opportunity to meet and interact socially with their classmates. For the Web-based distance classroom, the challenge of developing interaction among classmates often becomes very instructor driven because most communication in the online environment is asynchronous with the instructor being the focal point for communication, especially at the beginning of the class. When looking at the nature of learning, Gentry, Rizza, Peters, and Hu (2005) found the social nature of has been widely acknowledged (e.g., Dewey, 1938; Lave & Wenger, 1991), thus creating appropriate environments that foster ... is a desirable goal (Background, ¶ 5). According to Baird and Fisher (2005), today's is an active, wired, always on learner who integrates media technologies as a tool to support learning (p. 10). Web-based utilizes these media technologies to create a new environment for today's who values flexibility of location and time, but still needs to be connected to the class members through activities that promote the nature of learning. As more and more educational institutions offer flexible, Web-based courses, instructors will need to design classes for the Web-based environment that enhance this environment and offer experiences just as they work to design classes with interaction for the face-to-face environment that improve student experiences. Instructor presence then becomes a factor in the success of the Web-based experience. This study explored the relationship between instructor presence and student engagement because the instructor creates the environment that may foster interaction. The class interactivity was defined by five elements of online class interactivity using a rubric designed Roblyer (Roblyer & Wiencke, 2004): (1) social/rapport-building designs for interaction, (2) instructional activity design for interaction, (3) interactivity of technology resources, (4) evidence of engagement, and (5) evidence of instructor engagement. Instructors have control over four of the five elements and may use class design, activities for interaction, the media technology, and their own engagement to promote the aspects of learning. Evidence of engagement is out of the instructor's control. The survey asked students to rate their class interactivity using the Roblyer rubric. Students were then interviewed about their perceptions of instructor engagement for the online classes in which they were enrolled. Literature Review The latest available statistics show the growth rate for number of students enrolling in online courses is steadily increasing with the growth rate at 9. …
The purpose of this study to examine measurable impacts of shortening lectures and increasing engaged learning activities in an undergraduate marketing course. Class pedagogy progressively changed over six semesters from a lecture-based format to a hybrid of lecture and engaged learning activities. The researchers ask whether these pedagogical changes positively affect course outcomes as measured by Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) scores and exam scores. The intent was to engage students, increasing their perceived value of class time activities, and consequently favorably impacting student satisfaction and performance. Evidence supports increased SET scores, but exam scores did not show consistent improvement. Introduction Student Evaluations of Teaching (SET) scores are widely used by institutions of higher education to evaluate teaching effectiveness (Chen, Gupta, & Hoshower, 2004) and to measure broadly classroom quality management (Kwan, 1999). SET scores are also used at departmental-level to help make decisions about tenure, promotions, and raises (Chen, Gupta & Hoshower, 2004; Read, Rama & Raghunandan, 2001; Simpson & Siguaw, 2000). Instructors acknowledge importance of SET scores for improving their own teaching. In a survey, Simpson and Siguaw found that 85% of professors believed that SET scores were important to their departments, and 92% said that their SET scores were important to themselves. As suggested, most academic institutions rely heavily on SET scores to evaluate instructors. This measurement often used in conjunction with other measures, but some institutions use it as sole or primary measure on which personnel decisions are justified. In many cases, SET scores are used to assist instructors in improving course content or pedagogy. However, considerable conflicting opinion exists on validity of SET scores as a measure of teaching effectiveness as it relates to student performance. A substantial body of research supports a positive relationship between SET scores and student performance. In a meta-analysis of multi-section validity studies Cohen (1981, p. 300) found a strong support for validity of student ratings as measures of teaching effectiveness. Marsh and Roche (1997) support effectiveness of SET scores as an indicator of effective teaching when using a multidimensional measure, while rejecting a single criterion approach. Often student performance measure used has been based on student's perception of learning (e.g., Clayson & Haley 1990). Numerous studies, including some very recent ones, have called into question direct relationship between SET scores and student performance. Beyers (2008, p. 106) reasons that the real lesson that students are not generally well versed in pedagogy, so their evaluations often have more to do with their emotional experiences than learning. In a study of undergraduate accounting students, Yunker and Yunker (2003) found a negative relationship between student evaluations and student performance. After discussions with a number of and upon reviewing several studies, Wilson (1998, p. 212) stated that faculty (too often) dumb down material and inflate grades to get good reviews. In a direct comparison of SET and final exam scores, Gramlich and Greenlee (1993, p. 12) report that commonly used SETs and degree to which students actually learn course material - two do not seem to be closely related. Sproule (2002, p. 287) suggests that use of student evaluation data to determine instructor performance is tantamount to promotion and practice of pseudoscience . This paper addresses relationship among pedagogical applications designed to increase student engagement and impact on both SET and exam scores. Literature Review Literature support of engaged learning pedagogy substantial. …
Plagiarism is an increasing problem in high schools and universities. To address the issue of how to teach students not to plagiarize, this study examined several pedagogical approaches for reducing plagiarism and the use of Turnitin, an online plagiarism detection software. The study found a significant difference between the control group and one instructional treatment group that was reflected in the reduced level of plagiarized text. This finding indicates that the lack of knowledge in proper documentation and paraphrasing is a primary reason why some students plagiarize, albeit perhaps inadvertently. Implications point to the need for consistent in-depth instruction in proper quotation, citation, and paraphrasing techniques. Keywords: plagiarism, pedagogy, paraphrasing, documentation, Turnitin Introduction Studies on various forms of academic dishonesty such as cheating on examinations and plagiarism have appeared in academic journals for over 60 years. The rates of student cheating reported in these studies ranged from 23% in 1941 as reported by Drake to 59% in 1964 (Hetherington & Feldman) to 76% in 1992 (Davis, Grover, Becker, & McGregor). Similar to cheating, plagiarism is a growing problem. According to a 1999 Center for Academic Integrity survey that included over 12,000 students on 48 different college campuses, 10% of the students admitted to using other people's ideas and words without proper citation (McCabe, Trevino, & Butterfield, 2001). In a later study (McCabe, 2005), 40% of the students surveyed admitted to plagiarism. Research has shown that plagiarism in the form of copying text from electronic documents available through the Internet and other electronic sources is an increasing problem in universities as well as high schools (Larkham & Manns, 2002; McCabe, Trevino & Butterfield, 2001). The rising trend of plagiarism has been attributed to several factors. With high speed Internet available in dormitories and computer labs, students can use search engines easily to find relevant electronic sources from which they plagiarize. Internet sites that proffer complete manuscripts on a wide variety of topics - over 100 such sites at last count according to TechTrends magazine (Talab, 2004) - make obtaining entire assignment papers as easy as copying and pasting. While some of these sites charge for downloaded material, others do not. In addition to using entire papers or portions of papers from these mill Websites, students also use other sites on the Internet. Many universities provide students access to innumerable electronic journal, newspaper, and magazine articles and other documents through the use of databases. Powerful databases such as ProQuest, EBSCOhost, LexisNexis and others offer full-text articles on all topics of interest. While reputable use of these electronic documents is expected, text from these resources can easily be cut and pasted and presented in a student's paper as his or her own work. While the widely available and easily accessible electronic information sources may have facilitated plagiarism, students' attitude toward cheating is another contributing factor. In the Center for Academic Integrity survey (McCabe, 2005), 68% of the students surveyed believed using someone else's ideas, words, or sentences without acknowledging was not a serious problem. Pressure to obtain and keep good grades and stiff competition for admission into college and for jobs were reasons students often give for cheating (Fanning, 2005; Maramark & Maline, 1993). Furthermore, students' indifference toward academic integrity and the prevalent culture of cheating could be a reflection of the broader sociopolitical context of corporate fraud and the underlying cultural nod toward getting ahead while getting away with unethical behavior (Robin son-Zanartu, Pena, CookMorales, Pena, Afshani, & Nguyen, 2005, p. 320). Besides student attitude, the lack of consistent enforcement of academic honesty policy by faculty members and university administration may have fostered a culture of cheating. …
