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Enacting Inclusive Mathematics Teaching And Learning Using Biography Driven Instruction, Jessie C. Store May 2023

Enacting Inclusive Mathematics Teaching And Learning Using Biography Driven Instruction, Jessie C. Store

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

As schools become increasingly diverse, there is an increasing need for examples of classroom practices that create inclusive teaching and learning environments. Many research studies found that gaining knowledge of student home life and using it to bridge learning and home supports access and equity. Many scholars have called for exemplars of activities that connect students’ in-school and out-of-school cultural activities. This paper provides an example that may be used in teacher education and K–12 classrooms to bridge out-of-school and in-school activities. In this paper, we discuss the enactment of biography-driven instruction, specifically how cultural biographies can be used to …


Science Curriculum Requirements: Science Process Skills In Textbook Activities, Dilek Özalp May 2023

Science Curriculum Requirements: Science Process Skills In Textbook Activities, Dilek Özalp

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Science textbooks play an important role in making scientific knowledge and applications available to learners. In most countries, science curriculum expects to cultivate scientifically literate individuals who are able to use science process skills. Critical analysis of textbooks is therefore crucial to determine whether they can facilitate this outcome. The purpose of this study is to find out to what extent science process skills are included in the activities of elementary and middle school science textbooks in Turkey. A total of 304 activities in six science textbooks were analyzed. A content analysis was employed to determine the frequency and percentage …


The Effect Of Scenario-Based Learning On 8th Grade Students’ Perceptions Of Scientists, Fatma Şaşmaz Ören, Ayşegül Karapinar, Kübranur Sari, Tuğba Demi̇rer May 2023

The Effect Of Scenario-Based Learning On 8th Grade Students’ Perceptions Of Scientists, Fatma Şaşmaz Ören, Ayşegül Karapinar, Kübranur Sari, Tuğba Demi̇rer

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of scenario-based learning on eighth-grade students’ perceptions of scientists. We used a semiexperimental design to conduct our research with 36 students from the eighth grade, who were divided into experimental and control groups. We collected the data through a “Draw-a-Scientist Test,” an opinion form, and semistructured interviews. According to the findings we obtained from the drawing test, students have stereotypical perceptions of the scientists’ working environment (indoor/laboratory). But the results showed that scenario-based teaching affects eighth-grade students’ perceptions of scientists and moves them forward on two points: (1) the physical …


Understanding Teachers’ Perceptions Of Pedagogy In Teaching Mathematics To English Language Learners, David Suh Jan 2023

Understanding Teachers’ Perceptions Of Pedagogy In Teaching Mathematics To English Language Learners, David Suh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of socially and linguistically varied students at two local high schools in a southwestern state located in the United States has greatly increased. Since the 2018-2022 school years, English language learners (ELLs) scored low on the state achievement mathematics test scores. The problem was teachers were challenged to support the mathematics achievement of Grade 9-12 ELLs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of the teachers’ challenges in supporting the mathematics achievement of Grade 9-12 ELLs. The conceptual framework for this study was Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, which helped to inform the study in giving …


K-5 Teachers' Perceptions Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Challenges In Mathematics, Nataine Latoya Grant Jan 2023

K-5 Teachers' Perceptions Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Challenges In Mathematics, Nataine Latoya Grant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem for this study was that K-5 teachers in a northeastern school district were challenged to implement culturally responsive teaching (CRT) practices in mathematics instruction. The purpose of this study was to explore K–5 teachers' perceptions about the challenges of using CRT practices in mathematics with culturally diverse students and to identify teacher suggestions for needed resources and training. Gay’s culturally responsive teaching theory formed the conceptual framework that guided this study. The research questions focused on providing K—5 teacher perceptions about their challenges of implementing CRT practices with culturally diverse students and about their suggestions for resources and …


High School Teachers’ Experiences And Perceptions Facilitating Student Discourse And Collaborative Structures For English Language Learners In Biology, Chrissy Ann Brouwer Jan 2023

High School Teachers’ Experiences And Perceptions Facilitating Student Discourse And Collaborative Structures For English Language Learners In Biology, Chrissy Ann Brouwer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed in this study was that the academic needs of English Language Learners (ELLs) were not being met in biology classes in high schools in the local district because teachers were not consistently facilitating instruction using the required strategies of student discourse and collaborative structures. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore teachers’ successes, challenges, and need for supports when using the required strategies with their ELLs. Knowles’ theory of andragogy and Shulman’s theory of pedagogical content knowledge guided this study examining how the adults’ learning of the required strategies impacted their ability to …


K-5 Teachers' Perceptions Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Challenges In Mathematics, Nataine Latoya Grant Jan 2023

K-5 Teachers' Perceptions Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Challenges In Mathematics, Nataine Latoya Grant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem for this study was that K-5 teachers in a northeastern school district were challenged to implement culturally responsive teaching (CRT) practices in mathematics instruction. The purpose of this study was to explore K–5 teachers' perceptions about the challenges of using CRT practices in mathematics with culturally diverse students and to identify teacher suggestions for needed resources and training. Gay’s culturally responsive teaching theory formed the conceptual framework that guided this study. The research questions focused on providing K—5 teacher perceptions about their challenges of implementing CRT practices with culturally diverse students and about their suggestions for resources and …


High School Teachers’ Experiences And Perceptions Facilitating Student Discourse And Collaborative Structures For English Language Learners In Biology, Chrissy Ann Brouwer Jan 2023

High School Teachers’ Experiences And Perceptions Facilitating Student Discourse And Collaborative Structures For English Language Learners In Biology, Chrissy Ann Brouwer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed in this study was that the academic needs of English Language Learners (ELLs) were not being met in biology classes in high schools in the local district because teachers were not consistently facilitating instruction using the required strategies of student discourse and collaborative structures. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore teachers’ successes, challenges, and need for supports when using the required strategies with their ELLs. Knowles’ theory of andragogy and Shulman’s theory of pedagogical content knowledge guided this study examining how the adults’ learning of the required strategies impacted their ability to …


Understanding Teachers’ Perceptions Of Pedagogy In Teaching Mathematics To English Language Learners, David Suh Jan 2023

Understanding Teachers’ Perceptions Of Pedagogy In Teaching Mathematics To English Language Learners, David Suh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of socially and linguistically varied students at two local high schools in a southwestern state located in the United States has greatly increased. Since the 2018-2022 school years, English language learners (ELLs) scored low on the state achievement mathematics test scores. The problem was teachers were challenged to support the mathematics achievement of Grade 9-12 ELLs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of the teachers’ challenges in supporting the mathematics achievement of Grade 9-12 ELLs. The conceptual framework for this study was Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, which helped to inform the study in giving …


Nigerian Teachers’ Perceptions And Experiences Of Integrating Literacy Strategies Into Science Instruction, Joy Oghogho Isa Jan 2022

Nigerian Teachers’ Perceptions And Experiences Of Integrating Literacy Strategies Into Science Instruction, Joy Oghogho Isa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reading problems among students in Nigeria prompted the implementation of a literacy across the curriculum initiative in a cluster of schools within a district, where all teachers were required to integrate literacy strategies into their lessons. The problem investigated in this study was that the teachers’ instruction of science at Beta Schools had not produced the expected results with respect to integrating literacy strategies into the science lessons. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand the teachers experiences and perceptions of literacy integration in science lessons. Grounded in the content area literacy conceptual framework, the research questions …


A Culturally Responsive Literacy Approach To Develop Scientific Conceptual Knowledge Through Creative Narratives, Alma D. Stevenson, Lacey D. Huffling Dec 2021

A Culturally Responsive Literacy Approach To Develop Scientific Conceptual Knowledge Through Creative Narratives, Alma D. Stevenson, Lacey D. Huffling

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Our study examined the effects of culturally responsive literacy pedagogical approaches in the development of scientific vocabulary and conceptual knowledge among minoritized middle-grade students during a summer program. We describe the design and implementation of a literacy-enriched STEM instructional unit of study built upon the background experiences of Latina/Latino migrant farmworkers’ children to expand their STEM literacy skills and knowledge. Our aim with this unit was to increase the students’ science knowledge and skills; strengthen their mathematical abilities; enhance their ability to use technology for research; and improve their academic vocabulary, language, and writing skills. This program also had as …


Expanding Stem Membership: Using Science Process Skills In A Social Justice Curriculum To Combat Stereotype Threats And Build Self-Efficacy In African American Students, Beverly A. King Miller, Alma D. Stevenson, Shelli L. Casler-Failing Oct 2021

Expanding Stem Membership: Using Science Process Skills In A Social Justice Curriculum To Combat Stereotype Threats And Build Self-Efficacy In African American Students, Beverly A. King Miller, Alma D. Stevenson, Shelli L. Casler-Failing

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Science process skills were scaffolded throughout instruction over the ten-week program. The culminating project included the development, design, and testing of their own independent science fair project. The results reflect an increase in students’ self-efficacy which was evidenced by the students’ preparation and presentation of their projects in the science fair.


The Effect Of Coding Classes On Mathematics Achievement Of Preschool Students, Ebru Hacer Erbilgin Jan 2021

The Effect Of Coding Classes On Mathematics Achievement Of Preschool Students, Ebru Hacer Erbilgin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that inspired this study is that Turkish students’ mathematics rankings on global exams such as The Program for the International Students Assessment (PISA) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) had been below the average for many years, a problem that may have rooted in children’s early experiences with mathematics. The purpose of this quantitative pretest posttest quasi-experimental control group study was to determine the effect of computer-programming classes with Code Studio on mathematics scores of preschool students. Siemens’s connectivism theory for the digital age formed the foundation for this research. A single research question regarding …


Instructional Practices Associated With Science Proficiency Of English Language Learners, Sherly Yadira Soto-Ortiz Jan 2021

Instructional Practices Associated With Science Proficiency Of English Language Learners, Sherly Yadira Soto-Ortiz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe study addressed the gap in fifth-grade science proficiency between English language learners (ELLs) enrolled in two different science programs in a large school district in the Southeast United States. The Inspire program was implemented in 125 schools, while a combination of Inspire and Promoting Science among English Language Learners (PSELL) developed to facilitate science learning for non-English learners, was implemented in 25 schools. A concurrent mixed-methods case study design was used to examine how instructional practices of each program were (1) aligned with the instructional framework of the Sheltered Instructional Observation Protocol (SIOP), (2) how the two programs supported …


Supporting Science Learning For English Language Learners, Judith Morrison, Yuliya Ardasheva, Sarah Newcomer, Lindsay Lightner, Gisela Ernst-Slavit, Kira Carbonneau Aug 2020

Supporting Science Learning For English Language Learners, Judith Morrison, Yuliya Ardasheva, Sarah Newcomer, Lindsay Lightner, Gisela Ernst-Slavit, Kira Carbonneau

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This study focused on two fourth-grade science classrooms with English learners (ELs), exploring how teachers supported students’ science and language/literacy learning in different language contexts. Three a priori research-based practices recommended for supporting science learning framed our exploration: (a) negotiation, opportunities for individual and social construction and critique of knowledge; (b) embedded language, opportunities for language and literacy learning as a natural aspect of science; and (c) non-threatening learning environments, opportunities for social apprenticeship and interaction. We provide insights into how science instructional practices supported ELs’ science and language learning. One key implication is that enacting these three principles of …


Rural Elementary Educator Perceptions About Mathematics Instructional Resources And Strategies, Kristina Gabrielle Anderson Jan 2020

Rural Elementary Educator Perceptions About Mathematics Instructional Resources And Strategies, Kristina Gabrielle Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An increasing number of students in a rural elementary school have not met the mathematics proficiency benchmark. Despite these changes made to mathematic curriculum and instruction, student data continued to indicate an increasing number of students in Grades 3–6 had not met the mathematics proficiency standard. The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of elementary mathematics teachers in Grades 3–6 and administrators regarding instructional resources, strategies used to teach mathematics, and professional development for teaching mathematics. Archer and Hughes’ concept of explicit instruction formed the conceptual framework that guided this study. The research questions for this study addressed …


Science-Literacy Integration: Equity And Learning In First-Grade, Urban Instructional Contexts, Angela J. Stefanski, Nicole M. Martin, Melinda A. Zurcher Jun 2019

Science-Literacy Integration: Equity And Learning In First-Grade, Urban Instructional Contexts, Angela J. Stefanski, Nicole M. Martin, Melinda A. Zurcher

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Previous research demonstrates that integration of science and literacy instruction in primary grades has positive outcomes for students’ science and literacy development. However, variations in how science and literacy are enacted suggest integration may not be sufficient to meet the literacy and science needs of all students in an equitable manner. The purpose of this study was to examine two first-grade teachers’ science integration during literacy instruction in one high- and one low-income school context within one urban district. Analysis of field notes, transcripts of lessons, and interviews revealed that expectations to integrate science during time set aside for literacy …


A Qualitative Study Of Instructional Practices For English Learners In Elementary Mathematics, Katie Corinne Baum Jan 2019

A Qualitative Study Of Instructional Practices For English Learners In Elementary Mathematics, Katie Corinne Baum

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It is important for elementary teachers to provide quality mathematics instruction for English Learner (EL) students to close achievement gaps. Elementary mathematics teachers in the Keystone School District were struggling to implement instructional practices for EL students in mathematics as evidenced by communications with teachers, administrators, and documents from the state-required action plan. The purpose of this study was to explore the instructional practices and the challenges encountered by teachers related to providing mathematics instruction for ELs. The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol Model served as the conceptual framework. The research questions focused on the instructional practices that teachers were implementing …


Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Of Instructional Coaching, Dean Rochelle Bryant Jan 2019

Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Of Instructional Coaching, Dean Rochelle Bryant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Instructional coaching, a multifaceted form of job-embedded professional development in education, is widely spreading across the United States as a means of improving staff performance and student learning. The problem was that there was a decrease in 8th grade student achievement in mathematics in this school district. The purpose of the intrinsic qualitative case study was to examine the perceptions and experiences of middle school math teachers about the role of instructional coaches in supporting math instruction. Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Knowles' andragogy adult learning theories formed the conceptual framework that guided this study. The research questions focused on …


Examining General Educators' Instructional Practices Teaching Mathematics To K-8 Students With Disabilities, Kendra Michelle Cumberland Jan 2019

Examining General Educators' Instructional Practices Teaching Mathematics To K-8 Students With Disabilities, Kendra Michelle Cumberland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A disparity in the mathematics performance between students with disabilities (SWDs) and students without disabilities in K-8 grades in international schools may lead to a lack of opportunities for SWDs to take advanced mathematics classes and enter mathematics-related college programs and careers. This problem may be increased if K-8 teachers of SWDs do not use social-constructivist-based practices needed for effective mathematics teaching. The purpose of this bounded qualitative exploratory case study was to explore the constructivist-based practices teachers applied in the mathematics K-8 classrooms for SWDs. Vygotsky's social-constructivism theory was used to guide this study. The research question addressed which …


Cultural Sensitivity In The Performance-Based Learning Environment, Monique Matleen Hazzard-Robinson Jan 2017

Cultural Sensitivity In The Performance-Based Learning Environment, Monique Matleen Hazzard-Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Georgia Department of Education requires students to earn 4 course credits in the area of mathematics in order to graduate from high school. Academic success for mathematics students in a school district in southern Georgia has been encumbered because teachers lack cultural competency in mathematics instruction, which has hindered minority students from developing reasoning, critical analysis, and problem-solving skills needed to earn these required math credits. The purpose of this project study was to examine teachers' perceptions of using culturally relevant teaching strategies to influence the academic performance of minority students in the mathematics classroom. The conceptual framework was …


Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of Practices And Professional Development For Differentiating Mathematics Instruction, Sandra Mujagic Varajic Jan 2017

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of Practices And Professional Development For Differentiating Mathematics Instruction, Sandra Mujagic Varajic

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers and administrators in a Title I elementary school in a southeastern state are concerned that there has been a trend over the past 3 years of declining standardized assessment scores in mathematics for students in Grades 3, 4, and 5. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore teachers' perceptions of practices, and professional development (PD) for differentiating mathematics instruction. This study was grounded in the conceptual framework of Vygotsky's zone of proximal development and Tomlinson's differentiated instruction (DI). Purposeful sampling was used to select 8 teachers and 1 mathematics coach, who worked with students in Grades …


Effect Of An Interactive Component On Students' Conceptual Understanding Of Hypothesis Testing, Sarah Anne Inkpen Jan 2016

Effect Of An Interactive Component On Students' Conceptual Understanding Of Hypothesis Testing, Sarah Anne Inkpen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Premier Technical College of Qatar (PTC-Q) has seen high failure rates among students taking a college statistics course. The students are English as a foreign language (EFL) learners in business studies and health sciences. Course delivery has involved conventional content/curriculum-centered instruction with minimal to no interactive components. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to assess the effectiveness of an interactive approach to teaching and learning statistics used in North America and the United Kingdom when used with EFL students in the Middle East. Guided by von Glasersfeld's constructivist framework, this study compared conceptual understanding between a convenience sample …


The Effects Of A Summer Math Program On Academic Achievement, Kermit Snyder Jan 2016

The Effects Of A Summer Math Program On Academic Achievement, Kermit Snyder

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The math achievement of students is low in a small rural district in Colorado. The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy of a summer third through fifth grade math program in improving math scores. Piaget's theory of cognitive development was used as the theoretical foundation for the math instructional resource delivered to the struggling students in the program. A quasi-experimental design was used to address whether the math scores improved for the participating students (n = 145) and whether the participating students experienced a smaller summer loss in academic achievement than the students who did not participate …


How Social Presence On Twitter Impacts Student Engagement And Learning In A Grade 8 Mathematics Classroom, Shelly Vohra Jan 2016

How Social Presence On Twitter Impacts Student Engagement And Learning In A Grade 8 Mathematics Classroom, Shelly Vohra

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social media for personal use has evolved rapidly among adolescents, changing the way they communicate with each other. However, little research has been conducted about how teachers use social media in the classroom to improve student learning. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe how social presence on Twitter impacts student engagement and learning when a mathematics teacher integrates this social media tool into an instructional unit. The conceptual framework was based on social presence theory developed by Short, Williams, and Christie. This qualitative study used a single case study design. Participants included 6 students and 1 classroom …


A Case Study Of An African American Community's Perceptions Of Problems In Mathematics Education, Renee Jenkins Jan 2016

A Case Study Of An African American Community's Perceptions Of Problems In Mathematics Education, Renee Jenkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American students across income classes have been found to struggle with mathematics, impeding their ability to complete college, pursue lucrative careers, and address socioeconomic problems. Using the tenets of liberation and critical race theory, this qualitative case study explored the perceptions of a small group of 8 African American adults as to what they believe to be the root causes of mathematics achievement disparity for African American K-14 students, and what role the African American community can play in ameliorating these disparities. As most related studies are on low income communities, this study focused on an affluent African American …


Experiences Teaching Stoichiometry To Students In Grades 10 And 11, Cynthia Denise Bridges Jan 2015

Experiences Teaching Stoichiometry To Students In Grades 10 And 11, Cynthia Denise Bridges

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many students have problems learning stoichiometry, a complex mathematical chemistry concept used to determine how much product will be produced or formed from a given quantity of reactants. The problem addressed in this study was teachers' lack of understanding of how to teach stoichiometry in a Midwestern urban school district. The conceptual framework of the study was based upon constructivist theory. A qualitative narrative approach was used to obtain the perceptions of 5 high school chemistry instructors related to their experiences, successful or unsuccessful, in teaching stoichiometry to students in Grades 10 and 11. Data were gathered through face-to-face interviews, …


A Historical Analysis Of The Relationship Of Faith And Science And Its Significance Within Education, John Gerard Yegge Jan 2014

A Historical Analysis Of The Relationship Of Faith And Science And Its Significance Within Education, John Gerard Yegge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Science curriculum and pedagogy are at the center of a centuries-long debate concerning the appropriate relationship of faith and science. The difficulties that science educators face seem to be based in misinformation about the historical roots of this conflict. To address that conflict, the goals of this research were to separate myth from reality and to provide a necessary context to the current tensions that are disrupting science pedagogy and curriculum content within American public schools. Working within a theoretical framework of historical literacy, this qualitative, historical analysis was a comprehensive examination of the relationship of faith and science from …


Exploring The Role Of Social Reasoning And Self-Efficacy In The Mathematics Problem-Solving Performance Of Lower- And Higher-Income Children, Allison G. Butler Oct 2013

Exploring The Role Of Social Reasoning And Self-Efficacy In The Mathematics Problem-Solving Performance Of Lower- And Higher-Income Children, Allison G. Butler

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Research documents an income-based achievement gap in mathematics, yet children from lower-income backgrounds do not lag behind their more advantaged peers in high-level social reasoning tasks. The purpose here was to investigate whether modifying mathematics word problems to make them more socially based would impact the mathematics performance and/or mathematics self-efficacy of lower- versus higher-income children. Research questions regarding (1) the relative difficulty of symbolic equations versus word problems, (2) the impact of socially modifying word problems on children’s accuracy and self-efficacy, and (3) the relation between children’s mathematics performance and mathematics self-efficacy were explored. Participants were 164 5th graders. …


Exploring The Meaning And Use Of Science Content Integration, Jason L. Garner Jan 2011

Exploring The Meaning And Use Of Science Content Integration, Jason L. Garner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Science content integration, or the simultaneous teaching of science with other subjects during learning activities, has been explored by multiple studies. However, due to a lack of consensus on its definition, it was difficult for educators in a local school district to discuss and evaluate the effectiveness of this instructional technique. This qualitative collective case study, based on a constructivist theoretical foundation, centered on the questions of how teachers defined and used science content integration, and perceptions of impediments to its use. Participants were five teachers in a suburban elementary school. The sources of data for this study were interviews, …