Redefining Student Success - Annotated Bibliography Example

The challenge includes identifying new methods to model limited dependent variables. They are skeptical that the multinomial logit method is apt for the purpose. They believe incorporating multinomial regression techniques into the model is a better way of evaluating student success across institutions. The intended audience for this research paper is educators and fellow scholars. The paper uses esoteric language and complex statistical analysis. To this extent, novices and teachers under training may find its content inaccessible. However, the necessity and relevance of the angle of scholarly investigation cannot be overstated.

At a time when general standards of literacy, numeracy, and employability of students are falling across educational institutions, reworking the model for ascertaining student success might help educators and recruiters to refine their search criteria. Likewise, with the federal government putting pressure on institutions of higher to improve accountability, all stakeholders are reviewing the utility of arcane laws such as the Student Right to Know (SRK) Act of 1990. In the same vein, the reporting requirements through Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and Graduation Rate Survey (GRS) are also being reviewed. The project undertaken by Jones-White et al is relevant for all these areas of review.

Kip Tellez, A case study of a career in education that began with ‘Teach for America’, Teaching Education, Vol 22, No.1, March 2011, p.15-18.
The article talks about a longitudinal case study of an experienced educator (Steven). Starting with Steven’s early days as an untrained teacher, the author brings his first-hand experiences to bear on the analysis. It is recounted how, through the Teach for America initiative, the subject taught mathematics at an urban middle school, before moving on to teaching social studies to English language learners. Steven eventually rose to the position of school principal. What his experience has shown is that professional teacher education is not as inevitable as it is made out by some. This is an ongoing debate among American academics and there is no consensus as yet.

There is a political dimension to this debate as neo-liberals think teacher education is overestimated while neo-conservatives find it non-negotiable. Written in an easy style without too many technical terms, this article is of relevance to education administrators as well as aspiring teachers. It lays out the pros and cons of the issue and is not biased toward any one position. However, toward the conclusion of the case study author Tellez infers through the successful career of Steven that teacher education is perhaps an overstated qualification. Tellez endorses customized teacher training programs and also underscores the incorporation of multiculturalism subjects into these programs. Read More