US Department Of Education Research Articles

School-level competition for US high school extracurricular resources

ABSTRACT In the United States, families know that extracurricular activities serve as a qualitative distinction in postsecondary admissions and merit-based aid awards, leading to competition in their participation and leadership positions. Despite the extensive literature supporting extracurricular activities, there is an incomplete picture of how school characteristics influence high school students’ participation and holding of leadership positions within extracurricular activities. Using the US Education Longitudinal Study of 2002, our study explores how the school characteristics of socioeconomic status, test scores, class size, school urbanicity, and school control shape twelfth-grade participation and holding leadership positions in ten school-sponsored extracurricular areas. From our results, we offer recommendations on how schools can create equitable participation levels and discuss the ever-expanding role of extracurricular activities in defining merit.

Are we ready? Generative AI and the LIS curriculum

The US Department of Education’s 2023 report highlights the importance of AI literacy for educators and other stakeholders (Cardona, Rodriguez & Ishmael, 2023). Analyzing this report, Lo (2023) notes that “for librarians, AI literacy could involve understanding how AI tools work, how they can be used to enhance library services, and how to navigate potential ethical issues related to AI” (p. 2). Southworth et al (2023) observe that technical aspects of AI are covered in the traditional STEM curricula but are largely absent outside of it. While there are efforts currently to provide education and training opportunities for librarians in addressing AI in their work, as well as literature that talks about how AI will impact various aspects of work in libraries, few have touched on the need for curriculum development to effectively address such disruptive technologies by identifying the competencies or threshold concepts that will be affected by them. The ubiquitous impact of AI has included applications in medical research as well as law, design, economics, and humanities, to name just a few. Agile practice and improved dissemination of best practices are called for, moving forward. How should LIS curriculum address AI and related issues to prepare future librarians and information professionals? This poster covers an in-progress scoping review of literature and a content analysis of the publicly available course descriptions of ALA accredited LIS programs, as well as their current mission statements and objectives to provide a snapshot of extant integration of this new and challenging technology.

7056 Can ChatGPT Educate Multicultural Patients About Metabolic Syndrome?

Abstract Disclosure: G. Wu: None. E. Cheng: None. V.V. Toram: None. K. Rosen: None. A. Wong: None. W. Zhao: None. M. Del Buono: None. Background: Metabolic Syndrome, which affects Asians, is a major risk factor for diabetes. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), 1 in 3 Americans have Metabolic Syndrome. Diabetes affects 30 million Americans, and 8 million more are undiagnosed. ChatGPT and Bard are Artificial Intelligence (AI) mediated LLMs launched on 11/30/2022 and 3/21/2023, respectively, that generate real-time conversational responses. Purpose: Can ChatGPT educate our multicultural patients about metabolic syndrome? Methods: 1. User prompt into ChatGPT and Bard: What is metabolic syndrome? I am a South Asian male, 40 years old, with a cholesterol level of 250 and a fasting blood sugar level of 120. The exact prompt was used with an Asian male as a substitute. 2. The prompt was translated into Telugu, Hindi, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese via Google Translate. 3. Flesch-Kincade (FK) method of ascertaining reading level was used. FK is used by the US Department of Education. Results: Flesch-Kincaid reading ease: ChatGPT: English=29.2, Telugu=60.1, Hindi=33.4, Chinese (Trad.)=14.5, Chinese (Simp.)=22.6 Bard: English=35.3, Telugu=52, Hindi=51.7, Chinese (Trad.)=52, Chinese (Simp.)=36.8 Language Group Comparison to English: ChatGPT: Indian Languages p=0.004; Chinese Languages p=0.081. Bard: Indian Languages p=0.007; Chinese Languages p=0.136. Of note, the Telegu response has one incorrect response. Conclusions: In conclusion, ChatGPT and Bard can provide factual responses based on English prompts. Foreign prompts can yield inaccurate information. Physicians and their teams still need to supervise patient usage. Presentation: 6/2/2024

Remaining in the wake: towards an endarkened paradigm for critical studies of whiteness

ABSTRACT Critiquing how critical whiteness studies (CWS) in US education has strayed towards a predominant focus on how white people understand their relationship to whiteness and away from understanding how whiteness oppresses People of Colour, Matias and Boucher articulated a Black whiteness studies approach to the critical study of whiteness that eschews white epistemological standpoints, engages the works of Scholars of Colour and expands beyond a focus on developing white people’s racial consciousness. However, their articulation of a Black whiteness studies falls short of addressing Black communities’ specific racial positioning, the unique ways Black people suffer under whiteness and the situated knowledges of Black communities. In this paper, I theorise at the intersections of CWS, endarkened feminisms and afropessimsim to extend Matias and Boucher’s work to propose an endarkened paradigm for critical studies of whiteness.

Online / Distance Learning – Feedbacks A Priority!

A matter of current interest in recent times has been the noticeable growth experienced in the field of online higher education (OHE) and worldwide expansion, with higher educational institutions (HEI’s) offering a variety of programs. This phenomenal growth is mainly attributed to rapid digital transformations and a considerably improved demand for lifelong learning! It is preferred by a segment of the diaspora who have opted for higher education much later in life or would have faced obstacles as economic constraints, or failure in adjusting to work schedules, geographical and social barriers. Flexibility and access without time or geographical restrictions have been the most common reasons for preferring this mode of study. Feedback is a necessary skill for online instructors. Feedback is an important intervention for the online educator because it is an opportunity to develop the instructor-learner relationship, improve academic performance, and enhance learning. Effective online feedback from educators to learners is able to guide learners toward positive learning outcomes. An estimated 5.5 to 7.1 million students take at least one online course in the US according to the US Education Department and Babson Survey Research Group as reported by Kolowich (2014). India in recent years has found increased acceptance of the online education system, and students and working professionals have taken to different e-learning platforms in order to enhance their skills. A report released by KPMG India and Google indicates (Online Education in India: 2021), “the market for online education in India was expected to witness a magnificent growth of eight times in three years, i.e., from USD 247 million in 2016 to USD 1.96 billion in 2021”. This market is expected to grow multiple-folds in the next few years. An implication of providing effective online feedback is the positive impact for online learner performance.

International comparative analysis of the industry-education relationship in vocational education and training: From the perspective of economic sociology

The relationship between industry and education serves as a focal point in research on vocational education. Previous studies using rigid Weberian ideal types of behavior struggle to capture the complex realities and notable variations both within and across developing countries and often fail to consider the impact of educational systems and the connection between education and employment. This article endeavors to introduce a new framework for international comparative analysis through the lens of economic sociology. This analytical framework examines three key dimensions: the readiness and capacity of industries to engage in vocational education, the willingness of students to enroll in vocational education, and the influence of labor market and education institutions on both industries and students in relation to vocational education. Its purpose is to explore the relationships and critical factors that affect the interactions between industry and education in Germany, the US, and China. The findings can be summarized as follows: In the US, industry has a relatively low demand for a skilled workforce and a diminished inclination to invest in vocational education and training (VET), and the willingness of students to engage in VET is also relatively low. Certain characteristics of US labor market and education system also present significant challenges for the industry-education relationship in VET. In Germany, the industry has a relatively high demand for skilled workers, and there is an interest in investing in VET, and some students are willing to choose VET. The labor markets and education systems in each country also affect the involvement of stakeholders in VET. In China, a more mixed picture can be observed, with a closer similarity to the US in terms of the industry-education relationship in VET, with the exception that the government plays a more active role in this.

Building Knowledge across Language Systems: The Role of Audio and Visual Supports in Bilingual Learning through Self-Derivation

Children who enter the US education system as emerging bilinguals (or English Learners) show significant gaps in test scores and graduation rates compared to their English monolingual peers. Dual-language education programs may provide an instructional context that capitalizes on emerging bilingual children’s strengths and supports their academic performance while they acquire English. However, prior research has shown that integrating semantic knowledge across language systems poses a challenge. Supports may mitigate these challenges. Thus, across two studies, we examined instructional practices that may facilitate the integration of academic content across English and Spanish in elementary-age children enrolled in dual-language education programs. In Study 1, we examined whether facts presented through reading-while-listening or children’s silent self-paced reading more effectively supported learning the facts and subsequent integration for dual-language students in grades 3 and 4 (n = 56; Mage = 9.54 years). In Study 2, we examined whether combining graphics with text was more effective in supporting fact learning and cross-language integration compared to facts presented as text alone in dual-language students in grades 4 and 5 (n = 67; Mage = 10.48 years). Overall, the studies replicate the benefits of reading-while-listening and graphics for learning directly taught facts, but underscore the difficulty in integrating semantic knowledge across lessons and languages.

Firearm Homicide Mortality is Linked to Food Insecurity in Major US Metropolitan Cities.

Gun violence disproportionately affects metropolitan areas of the United States (US). There is limited information regarding the influence of social determinants of health, such as food insecurity (FI) on firearm homicide mortality (FHM) in major metropolitan cities in the US. We sought to examine the relationship between FI and FHM. This was a cross-sectional analysis examining the largest 51 US major metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) using data from 2018. Demographic data, markers of social inequities, and firearm homicide data were obtained from the US Census Bureau, US Department of Education, and the Frey and Brookings Institute. Food insecurity prevalence was obtained from Feeding America. Spearman ρ and linear regression were performed. Using Spearman rho analysis, higher FI (r = 0.55, P < 0.001) was associated with FHM. Other variables associated with FHM included percent Black/African American (AA) (r = 0.77, P < 0.001), poverty rate (r = 0.53, P < 0.001), and percent of children living in single parent households (r = 0.58, P < 0.001). In linear regression analyses, FI was associated with increased FHM, with 1.3 additional FHM events for each unit increase in FI (β = 1.33, 95% CI 0.27-2.39, P = 0.02). The percent of a population that is Black/AA was also associated with FHM, with more than 4 additional cases for each 1% increase in the population (β = 4.32, 95% CI 3.26-5.38, P < 0.001). Food insecurity may influence FHM in major US metropolitan cities. Community- and hospital-based programs that target FI may help combat the gun violence epidemic and decrease gun violence.

A mixed methods analysis of a yearlong intercultural competence curriculum strand

ABSTRACT Background: In a published 2016 report, it was estimated that approximately 80% of public-school teachers identified as White (United States Department of Education 2016). The duality of the issue is that the diversity of the teacher workforce has improved since 1990 but lags in comparison to the increasing diversity of the student population [Gumber, C., and J. Beckhusen. 2022. “U.S. Teachers More Diverse but Still Lag Student Racial, Ethnic Makeup”. United States Census Bureau, January 5. Accessed August 12, 2022. https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2022/01/nations-teachers-more-diverse-but-still-lag-racial-ethnic-makeup-of-students.html.]. The discrepancy that exists in racial or ethnic diversity between teachers and students has been termed a cultural gap [Muschell, L. H., and H. M. Roberts. 2011. “Bridging the Cultural Gap: One Teacher Education Program’s Response to Preparing Culturally Responsive Teachers.” Childhood Education 87 (5): 337–340. https://doi.org/10.1080/00094056.2011.10523209]. The value proposition for a teacher workforce that mirrors society is hard to dispute. In the broadest sense, members of the education sector must coordinate efforts to recruit and retain culturally diverse teachers. While these efforts are critical, progress will likely be carried out over a longer period of time. Thus, adequately preparing current and future teachers to bridge the cultural gap is essential. Purpose: Intercultural competence (ICC) is an increasingly relevant topic for teacher preparation programs. To date, there remains a relative dearth of research on strategies that physical education teacher education (PETE) programs can use to promote ICC among teacher candidates (TCs). This study aimed to explore a yearlong curriculum strand’s impact on promoting ICC development in TCs. Methods: A mixed methods research design involving quantitative and qualitative data collection was employed. The quantitative measure was the Intercultural Development Inventory®. Qualitative measures consisted of journal entries and semi-structured interviews. Datasets were then merged to generate mixed-data narratives. Participants included 29 TCs enrolled at a mid-Atlantic University. Findings: Analyses revealed that the curriculum strand did not promote significant change in teacher candidates’ ICC levels quantitatively. Researchers used the constant comparison method to interpret the mixed data narratives. Analyses of the mixed data narratives revealed four emergent themes: (a) experience with cultural diversity; (b) confidence to teach culturally diverse students; (c) making sense of ICC; and (d) reflection on action. Conclusions: Participant data suggests that ICC is a topic that TCs value but may be lacking in their practical, applied understanding of working across cultural differences. Implications and future research on promoting ICC among physical education TCs are discussed. To our knowledge, this study will be the first application of the IDI® to explore change following physical education TCs’ participation in a yearlong curriculum strand focused on promoting ICC.

The New Education Politics in the United States

During the COVID-19 pandemic, school district politics rose to prominence on the nation's political agenda, as school boards grappled with controversial decisions about reopening schools and implementing mask mandates. A growing number of political scientists are using newly available data and innovative research strategies to examine policy responsiveness, elections, segregation and inequality, state takeovers, interest groups, democratic deliberation, and public opinion—all while focusing on the unique context of education politics. We illuminate the distinctive institutional and policy context of US education politics and review new research in the field, including growing evidence of partisan polarization and the continuing significance of race for influencing power and decision making about schools in the United States. The field has made great strides in the last decade; we highlight the emerging themes from that already rapidly growing literature, while pointing out areas for future research.

State-Level Education Quality and Trajectories of Cognitive Function by Race and Educational Attainment.

Although educational attainment is consistently associated with better cognitive function among older adults, we know little about how education quality is related to cognitive function. This is a key gap in the literature given that the quality of US education improved considerably during the early to mid-20th century as state and federal investment increased. We posit that growing up in states with higher-quality education systems may protect against poor cognitive function, particularly among Black adults and adults who completed fewer years of school. We used prospective data on cognitive function from the Health and Retirement Study linked to historical data on state investment in public schools, restricting our sample to non-Hispanic White and Black adults born between 1914 and 1959 (19,096 White adults and 4,625 Black adults). Using race-stratified linear mixed models, we considered if state-level education quality was associated with level and decline in cognitive function and if these patterns differed by years of schooling and race. Residing in states with higher-resourced education systems during childhood was associated with better cognitive function, particularly among those who completed less than 12 years of schooling, regardless of race. For White adults, higher-resourced state education systems were associated with higher scores of total cognitive function and episodic memory, but there were diminishing returns as resources increased to very high levels. For Black adults, the relationship between state education resources and cognitive function varied by age with positive associations in midlife and generally null or negative associations at the oldest ages. Federal and state investment in public schools may provide students with opportunities to develop important cognitive resources during schooling that translate into better cognitive function in later life, especially among marginalized populations.

해외 대학의 학부교육 개편 사례 비교 연구

[Purpose] The purpose of this study is to explore the modification of the university model in three post-colonial institutions—the University of Hong Kong, the National University of Singapore, and the University of Melbourne—which share the legacy of the British undergraduate education model that emphasizes specialization in specific majors. This study aims to analyze the background and content of the recent undergraduate education reforms undertaken by these universities and to investigate the similarities and differences in their processes of transformation. [Methods] This study applied a multi-case analysis and compared commonalities and differences between case universities by analyzing various literature data (prior studies, research reports, media articles, university websites, and official documents. [Results] Common drivers for undergraduate education reform include global higher education norms that emphasize competence-based education to enhance graduate employability and bolster internationalization strategies. Consequently, all case universities reinforced the general education component and increased flexibility in curriculum structure, moving away from the British legacy of specialization in specific disciplines. However, the specific drivers and content of the reforms varied depending on the institutional context, resulting in each case university developing distinct formats of undergraduate education models. [Conclusion] The results of this study revealed that, although the case universities incorporated various components from the US education model, these borrowing practices did not necessarily result in homogeneity among the three institutions. Furthermore, the study identified a hybridity in the university education models of some case universities, which selectively integrated educational models from various regions during the process of undergraduate education reform. Based on these findings, theoretical and policy implications were presented.

Bringing the World to a Rural Campus

In July 2021 the United States Department of State and United States Department of Education released a joint statement on the need for higher education to be global. At rural universities across our nation this can be a challenge. One method to globalize the curriculum and experience of students is to utilize the international students studying on your campus. In the fall 2019 this method was used for a cultural mentoring project pairing international MBA students with undergraduate students in an introductory course. This led to student sharing their experiences and cultural exchanges increasing the global and intercultural competence of all the students involved.

Students and colleges should demand ED update Section 504

On May 4, 1977, the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare promulgated regulations implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (45 C.F.R. Part 84 (Effective date June 3, 1977)). When HEW was split in two, the United States Department of Education reissued the 504 regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 104). Last summer, the ED announced that it would update the Section 504 regulations. Yet, regrettably, the ED has not done so.

Standardization, White Supremacy, and Racial Self-Definition: African American Secondary Schools in Rural North Carolina, 1920-1954

In this historical examination, Amato Nocera, Kyle P. Steele, and John Hensley argue that the development of Black rural high schools in the decades leading up to the Brown v. Board of Education decision represented the dynamic between standardization, white supremacy, and Black self-definition that has shaped US education reform. Focusing on the interplay of state-level education administrators, local white officials, and Black community members, the authors’ analysis of Black rural high schools draws on archival data from DuBois High School in rural Wake Forest, North Carolina, to broaden the literature on the history of the American high school and contribute to an understanding of the Black Freedom Movement by recognizing secondary schools as vital to institution building in the Jim Crow South.

Technical Assistance for Systemic Change: Lessons Learned From a National Technical Assistance Center.

Despite the millions of dollars awarded annually by the United States Department of Education to build implementation capacity through technical assistance (TA), data on TA effectiveness are severely lacking. Foundational to the operationalization and consistent research on TA effectiveness is the development and use of standardized TA core competencies, practices, and structures. Despite advances toward a consistent definition of TA, a gap still exists in understanding how these competencies are used within an operationalized set of TA practices to produce targeted outcomes at both individual and organizational levels to facilitate implementation of evidence-based practices. The current article describes key insights derived from the evaluation of an operationalized set of TA practices used by a nationally funded TA center, the State Implementation & Scaling Up of Evidence Based Practices (SISEP) Center. The TA provided by the Center supports the uptake of evidence-based practices in K-12 education for students with disabilities. Lessons learned include: (1) the need to understand the complexities and dependencies of operationalizing TA both longitudinally and at multiple levels of the system (state, regional, local); (2) the relative importance of building general and innovation-specific capacity for implementation success; (3) the value of using a co-design and participatory approach for effective TA delivery; (4) the need to develop TA providers' educational and implementation fluency across areas and levels of the system receiving TA; and (5) the need to ensure coordination and alignment of TA providers from different centers. Gaining an understanding into optimal TA practices will not only provide clarity of definition fundamental to TA research, but it will also inform the conceptual framing and practice of TA.

Preparing Catholic Educators for Flourishing in a Secularized Society: A Case Study

As culture experiences secularization, and the importance of religion and prevalence of people holding religious worldviews diminishes, the work of forming Catholics who can live out their profes­sional and Christian vocations as teachers in different types of schools becomes simultaneously more crucial and more complex. This article explores the importance of preparing Catholic teachers for em­ployment in contemporary educational settings in the United States to respond to accelerating seculari­zation. It argues that the Catholic Church’s vision for education can be implemented within the limita­tions of US education policy, especially through the careful preparation of Catholic teachers in Catholic Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs). First, it presents the unique context of US education, illustrating the setting in which such programs function and the associated challenges. Next, it shares the Church’s vision for well-prepared Catholic educators, identifying three key anthropological conflicts linked to sec­ularization and explaining how the Church’s teaching on Catholic education as presented by Archbishop Michael Miller’s “Five Essential Marks of Catholic Schools” provides needed guidance for EPPs located in Catholic universities. Next, it offers a case study presenting one EPP’s efforts to respond to secu­larization through its program redesign according to a framework that integrates Miller’s Five Marks. Finally, it explains the difficulties facing Catholic EPPs as they integrate their mission with the demands of professional preparation.

Graduate education and government policy in times of crisis: a case study of the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand US federal government policy during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and the connections to graduate education. Using the multiple streams framework, the paper outlines these actions through various streams (problems, policy and political) and perspectives (defining problems, articulating options and mobilizing responses).Design/methodology/approachThe primary sources of data collected for this study were US federal government policies from March 2020 through May 2021. Policies were examined through introduction, implementation and alteration (when possible) within the specific time period of the study. The policies outlined in this paper were connected to the US Department of Education, and to a lesser extent, the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and other federal agencies. Data analysis was a two-fold process. First, the individual policy was considered as a single case and second, a cross-case comparison occurred across the multiple cases.FindingsAnalysing the study’s data in the problem stream provides a strong indicator of how the pandemic was perceived as a challenge for US graduate education. The pandemic served as a focusing event and illuminated the connections of graduate education to key institutional functions, including research and teaching. Broadly, US federal policy actions in this area focused on giving institutions resources and flexibility to support graduate students and allow them to continue their academic work while also seeding funding and incentives to continue the movement of knowledge, activities and people in the research pipeline. Actions in the policy stream aligned with the decentralized nature of the US higher education system and allowed for choice by academic institutions within the parameters of options.Originality/valueThis paper extends extant literature related to policy-making and graduate education to consider policy-making during a time of crisis. The paper offers methodological and conceptual ideas for consideration in future research.

Understanding OCR's Complaint and Resolution Process

The Office for Civil Rights is the enforcement arm of the United States Department of Education. OCR enforces numerous federal civil rights laws, including Section 504 and Title II of the ADA, that prohibit discrimination. To this end, the agency investigates complaints filed by students or other persons against their educational institution. This article explores frequently asked questions about the OCR complaint process.

Giving Form to Refugee Memory: Ann Le’s Embody Wallpaper Portraits

Abstract In Vietnamese American artist Ann Le’s 2012 Embody Wallpaper Portraits series, wallpaper designs of repeating collaged and silhouetted documentary Vietnam War photographs cover the skin and faces of the artist’s own family portraits. The bodies of these haunting and preserved figures serve as sites of forged encounter between public and private photographic archives and commemoration. This article considers two works from this series, titled Mother Refuge and Re Education Graduation, which examine motherhood and the nation-state of the United States as sites that (un)make refuge(es) and question the relationship between re-education camps in Vietnam and the US education system as sites of indoctrination respectively. Theorizing collage as an art practice that prompts a relational analysis of the different war events, I argue that by suturing together seemingly disparate histories, memories, places, and photographs, Le makes visible and invisible the gendered and racial violence that sustains US imperial projects.