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An Autoethnography:A Mathematics Teacher's Journey Of Identity Construction And Change, Anthony B. Stinson

Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology Dissertations

Despite some gains, improving secondary mathematics instruction remains an area of concern of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). Recitation, also known as lecturing, prevails as the practice of choice of mathematics teachers in the United States. However, the report of the NCTM Research Advisory Committee 2000 indicates that the mathematical proficiency of students increases when the practice of choice includes more than recitation. Therefore, changes in instruction in the mathematics classroom should occur to improve student learning. The purpose of this dissertation is to provide a personalized account of one mathematics teacher’s use of reflective teaching as …

The Culture Of Poverty: How It Affects Middle School Students, Kaycie Anne Tuttle

All Graduate Projects

In education, teachers are seeing more impoverished students than ever before. With that understanding, teachers need to know how to identify and assist these students so that they are successful in school. The War on Poverty has been going on for years, and with a failing economy, teachers are seeing more impoverished students in their classrooms. To counteract this situation, teachers will be shown a pamphlet, power point presentation, and a workshop on poverty which will help show teachers what their students may be experiencing when away from school. In addition, the pamphlet will provide information of what to look …

A Guidebook, Based On One School’S Journey In Implementing Response To Intervention, Pearl Mckenzie

All Graduate Projects

Many districts across the United States are considering, or have already implemented a system called Response to Intervention (RTI). This is a research-proven instructional method that will benefit many children who are challenged by the academic content. RTI uses a schoolwide structural system to support students and staff. This project documents steps taken by one school during an academic year in the form of a guidebook.

"Metaphors We Teach By": Representations Of Disciplinary And Teacherly Identity., Stephen Edwin Neaderhiser 1978-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a theoretical examination and textual analysis of the metaphors used to describe the act of writing and the teaching of writing. Within Rhetoric and Composition, there are specific conceptual metaphors that are instrumental to how teachers and compositionists describe the how writing development occurs, and what role teachers have in encouraging that development. This dissertation excavates the metaphoric interaction that has helped to shape the discipline of Rhetoric and Composition. I argue that the metaphors of writing run the risk of becoming "black-boxed," uncritically accepted (or resisted), which can lead to an unbalanced interactive relationship between members …

Quick Listening Activities To Improve Phonological Awareness In The Kindergarten Classroom, Jill Florence Stephens

All Graduate Projects

Current research shows phonological awareness plays an important role in a kindergarten student's ability to read. Phonological awareness (PA) is identifying and manipulating parts of spoken language, such as words, syllables, onsets and rimes, and rhyming. Recent research also indicates a kindergartener's level of phonological awareness is connected to his or her ability to decode words, recognize vocabulary and comprehend text. Students lacking a sense of phonological awareness struggle learning to read. The good news is that kindergarteners' phonological awareness can improve with 10-15 minutes of focused instruction each day. This project guides kindergarten teachers through phonological awareness listening activities, …

African-American Girls And Scientific Argumentation: Lived Experiences, Intersecting Identities And Their Roles In Constructing And Evaluating Claims, Phyllis Haugabook Pennock

Dissertations

Scientific argumentation can be traced back to ancient times; yet has seen a recent upswing over the last decade in the area of science education. This is due to current national education standards that ascribe this practice as a way of promoting scientific literacy for all. Current literature reflects an evolution of scientific argumentation – accommodating emerging research that uses socio-scientific issues. National standards highlight the need to teach argumentation, yet also recognize the urgent demand for educational equity of all students.

The purpose of this research was to narrow the gap dividing argumentation studies from other science discourse research. …

Variations On A Theme: Forty Years Of Music, Memories, And Mistakes, Christopher John Stephens

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

How did music play a consistent role through various memories? In this memoir, I look at the sweet, the traumatic and troubling. I use specific songs as connections to lost loved ones. I pin the power of music to the loss of three important people in my life: my sister, father, and mother. Who were their musical touchstones? Did I share them? Did music run through them as it has always run through me? The memoir is sandwiched by a brief extended metaphor that props up the conceit that we are entering a live concert performance. It is billed as …

"A Pbs Mind In An Mtv World": Teaching Teenagers Meteorology By Placing A Weather Forecast On Mtv And The Creation Of The Concert Forecast, Victoria Leigh Shaw

Theses and Dissertations

Studies show teenagers are influenced by television. This study tested the hypothesis that students can learn meteorology by viewing a weather forecast on Music Television (MTV). MTV was used because it is the network watched most by adolescents. Two surveys were administered to 175 high school students along with a DVD showing a weather forecast for MTV’s Spring Break. Half of the sample group was told the forecast was for MTV and the other was told it was for Channel One. Results showed that there was no statistically significant difference between MTV and Channel One in information recalled from the …

Teaching Probability Through Use Of An Applet, Melissa Gregory Jackson

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The use of technology in the classroom is an ongoing debate by educators. Many teachers consider it to be a valuable teaching tool. Despite the many advantages, there are also drawbacks in using technology. A Java applet is a particular kind of multimedia technology proven to be useful in education. Because of students' struggles with learning basic probability in Statistics 1040, I have created a probability applet to reinforce the concept of probability. The applet was tested with two Statistics 1040 classes. The majority of students agreed that they learned more about probability from using the applet. Several of the …

Onye Mbu: 'My Identity' Pedagogical Applications Of The Surreal And Absurd In Adrienne Kennedy's Funnyhouse Of A Negro, Adanma Onyedike

Theses and Dissertations

ONYE MBU: MY IDENTITY PEDAGOGICAL APPLICATIONS OF THE SURREAL AND ABSURD IN ADRIENNE KENNEDY'S FUNNYHOUSE OF A NEGRO By Adanma N. Onyedike, M.F.A A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2009 Major Director: Dr. Noreen Barnes, Director of Graduate Studies Department of Theater This document investigated my personal journey of discovering, developing, and later executing skill in teaching the theatrical arts. The re examination of the steps that led to my current success was important in order to qualify the receiving of my …

Teaching Vocabulary Meaningfully With Language, Image, And Sound., Doraina D. Pyle

Theses and Dissertations

This study was an exploration of how an instructional technique that uses language, image, and sound—that of a meaningful presentation of language with image by gradual, step-by-step sequencing—affects vocabulary acquisition. Research was carried out with volunteers from the BYU language community, who were randomly assigned to one of two testing groups. The two groups viewed Arabic language presentations wherein the presentation for the experimental group received line drawings to indicate vocabulary meanings, and the other group received English translations. Following the treatment, learners completed an online vocabulary test, and one week later, the same online vocabulary test. Statistical analyses indicated …

Uncovering Transformative Experiences: A Case Study Of The Transformations Made By One Teacher In A Mathematics Professional Development Program, Rachelle Myler Orsak

Theses and Dissertations

Effective professional development is vital for improving mathematics teaching (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [NCTM], 2007), so studying effective professional development programs is important to the field of mathematics education. This case study presents findings on one teacher, Rebecca, and her experiences in a five-semester mathematics professional development for elementary teachers. The participants in this professional development engaged in collaborative problem solving of challenging mathematical tasks over extended periods of time. I used qualitative research methods based on grounded theory methodology (Charmaz, 2006) to analyze Rebecca's entrance and exit surveys, video data of Rebecca's individual interviews, and video data …

Examining Teacher Collaboration In A Kindergarten Building: A Case Study, Wesley Shipley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Kindergarten programs have been part of public schooling since the 1850s. Over the years, kindergarten programs have changed from a nurturing, child-centered atmosphere to more academically rigorous programs that aspire to better prepare children for grade school. Additionally, since the launch of Sputnik in 1957, Americans have identified the need for school reform to better prepare their children to compete on a global level. The author of this dissertation views kindergarten programs and school reform to be at a confluence where school reform efforts are attempting to be met by promoting greater teacher collaboration to influence changes in early childhood …

Identity & Learning : A Zine Project, Dorrie Coman

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Current educational practices and policies erode and ignore student's racial, cultural, socioeconomic, and gender identities forcing students to leave their unique characteristics at the classroom door in order to become socially acceptable. This erosion has many negative implications for students, including lack of motivation and interest in learning, failing, and dropping out. In the project, students created Zines, self-published self-distributed texts that include a variety of formats, mediums, and topics, with the goal of exploring and expressing their identity while meeting content standards. The objectives were to use what students bring into the classroom to motivate them to learn, to …

Teachers' Understanding Of Components Of Response To Intervention (Rti) In Pennsylvania, Gabrielle Wilcox

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Since recent regulations allow the use of response to intervention (RTI) for specific learning disability determination, many districts have implemented RTI. This study surveyed a stratified random sample of 2,000 teachers in Pennsylvania with 141 usable responses. The purpose of this study was to ascertain teacher understanding of components of RTI in districts using and not using RTI and to determine if district implementation procedures impacted perceived effectiveness. Overall, the groups were similar in understanding and perceived importance of RTI components; however, there were small but notable differences. Respondents with higher levels of perceived effectiveness indicated greater support from a …

Curriculum Studies The Creative Student: A Winnicottian Literary Analysis, Stephanie Leigh Perry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Generalizations are made regarding the importance of creativity because creativity is considered to be the hallmark that sets humans apart from other animals. Creativity is a highly coveted gift that allows people the outlet by which to achieve greater joy, fulfillment, and meaning in their lives. However, relatively little is known about the origins of creativity and how to achieve greater creativity. Hoping to improve the quality of life of individuals and society, this dissertation examines the creativity that first springs up between a child and parent. In researching the relationship between children and parents, I draw heavily from the …

Creating A Path For High Quality Care: Implementation Of The Mini-Cex In A Student-Run Clinic, Paul Daniel Di Capua

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

Purpose: This study examines the utility of implementing the mini-CEX at a student-run primary care clinic. The mini-CEX is a validated tool for clinical skills feedback and evaluation. The implementation of the mini-CEX sought to improve quality standards in providers clinical skills, and therefore to set a model for continuous quality improvement in medical education. Hypothesis: The primary hypothesis tested is that a minimum of three mini-CEXs per week will produce a positive utility for both students and faculty. Methods: A needs-based analysis focus group solicited opinions on the mission and function of the clinic from the student-providers. The mini-CEX …