Digital Commons Network^™

K-8 Preservice Teachers’ Statistical Thinking When Determining Best Measure Of Center, Ha Nguyen, Eryn M. Stehr Maher, Gregory Chamblee, Sharon Taylor

Department of Mathematical Sciences Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine K-8 preservice teacher (PST) candidates’ statistical thinking when selecting the best center representation for the given data. Forty-four PSTs enrolled in a Statistics and Probability for K-8 Teachers course in a university located in the southeastern region of the United States were asked to complete a 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress test item. All 44 PSTs’ data were qualitatively analyzed for correctness and statistical thinking strategies used. Findings were that most PSTs either incorrectly selected the mean, rather than median, as the best measure of center for the given data or …

A “Post” Pandemic(S) Village Check-In: Pulse Checks And Recommendations For A Hard Re-Set In Education, Jarvais J. Jackson, Alesia Mickle Moldavan, Anne Valauri

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Journal

Utilizing the lens of the “pandemic as portal” (Roy, 2020; Souto-Manning, 2021) and the need for a “hard re-set” (Ladson-Billings, 2021) of our current education system, this literature synthesis engages with head, health, and home to consider what a new normal could look like as we take a “village check-in” of each area. For head, we consider the systemic barriers to equitable academic achievement that have long been in place for Black and Brown students. When considering health, we look at the impact of the pandemic on teacher well-being and how this may impact their ability to teach effectively and …

Non-Indigenous Instructors Teaching About Indigenous Content: Reflections And Recommendations From Indigenous Ways Of Knowing And Pedagogy, Manu Sharma, Peggy Shannon-Baker

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

This article takes a scholarship of teaching and learning approach to improve the authors teaching about Indige-nous content as non-Indigenous teacher educators. It explores how they attempted to incorporate Indigenous content and teaching practices into multicultural education classes and then reflect on how they could have improved their teaching practice. Both authors provide their unique positionality which provides context which is essential to consider when doing equity-based work such as teaching about/with Indigenous communities. The authors discuss their teaching experiences after they occurred with one another and then engage in an exploration via literature on teaching about Indigenous content. The …

Another Look At High-Impact Practices In Teacher Education: Linking Practices With Engagement, Ekaterina Koubek, Raymond J. Rodriguez

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

High-Impact Practices (HIPs), as adopted by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), are teaching and learning practices in higher education that promote student engagement and learning as measured on the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). This study replicated a previous study conducted by the authors exploring the extent to which prior findings on the relationship between HIPs and student engagement could be confirmed with a different sample of students and faculty in a teacher preparation program. The current study further sought to understand the extent to which faculty members’ design of activities related to HIPs engaged students …

Understanding And Enacting Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy Through Multicultural Children's Literature: A Case Study Of Preservice Teachers In Georgia, Heather M. Huling

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored how preservice teachers understand culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) and used multicultural children’s literature (MCL) as a way of enacting CSP in their field placement experiences. This qualitative study utilized the theoretical framework of culturally sustaining pedagogy (Paris & Alim, 2017) and a single case study design (Stake, 1995; Yin, 2018) to explore five preservice teachers’ understanding and perceptions of CSP and its enactment in the classroom through MCL during their final student teaching semester in their hometowns. Data collected through lesson plans, literature lists, video recordings, and semi-structured interviews and then inductively coded through holistic coding and …

Speculative Essays On Neoliberalism In Education: Dreams Of Resistance And Action For A More Socially Just Future, Lindsey Crumley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The way in which teachers are educated has wide reaching impacts on the ways students in their classrooms are educated. When test scores are regarded as the sole marker of a good teacher, then critical pedagogies and theories are left out of teacher education spaces. This dissertation aims to discuss a multitude of issues, both structural and day-to-day, that plague both education as a whole and teacher education specifically. Additionally, this dissertation aims to show ways in which communities, teacher educators, students, and schools are acting in resistance to the forms of control seen in education. This dissertation will use …

Shades Of Gray: The Nuances Of Telling Among Elementary Preservice Teachers In The Mathematics Classroom, Montana Smithey

Georgia Educational Research Association Conference

Mathematics teacher educators (MTEs) often prepare preservice teachers (PSTs) to teach in ways they may not be familiar—including facilitating conversations that are responsive to children’s mathematical thinking (Robertson et al., 2016). Specifically, MTEs support PSTs in understanding what it means to take on the mathematical work for children and ways children can engage in sense-making (Baxter & Williams, 2010; Wood, 1998). Telling, a teaching move that can be used to take on the mathematical work for children, is often used by PSTs (Moyer & Milewicz, 2002). Thus, MTEs focus PSTs learning of more productive teaching moves such as exploring details …

Learning To Teach Mathematics With Robots: Developing The ‘T’ In Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Shelli L. Casler-Failing

Department of Middle Grades and Secondary Education Faculty Publications

A multiple case study was conducted to investigate how Lego robotics instruction incorporated into a middle grades mathematics methods course could inform pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) TPACK through the lens of Social Constructivist Theory. The qualitative data analysis revealed that when instruction on Lego robotics technology is integrated into semester long mathematics methods courses, PSTs are able to improve their TPACK knowledge in regard to the robotics. Overall, the findings suggest instruction of educational technology tools should be incorporated into methods courses over a longer duration of time, and in depth, to better support the development of PSTs’ TPACK. To meet …

Teacher Educators Learning With Prospective Teachers: Finding Relevant Mathematics In Our (Their) Lives, Lindsay M. Keazer, Eryn Stehr Maher

Department of Mathematical Sciences Faculty Publications

Two mathematics teacher educators (MTEs) discuss the mathematical contexts generated by prospective teachers (PTs) when pushed to look for relevant mathematics in their lives and communities. Through collaborative teacher action research focused on iterations of collecting, categorizing, and discussing PTs’ mathematical contexts, and posing selected examples for PTs’ own examination, layers of learning occurred for both PTs and MTEs. PTs began to craft more personalized, story-like contexts, seemingly noticing more mathematics in their lives. MTEs were unexpectedly pushed to clarify their thinking about what it means to develop contexts that are authentic and relevant, and to contemplate how their actions …

Becoming Inclusive: A Collection And Analysis Of The Perceptions Of Newly Qualified General Elementary Education Teachers On Their Preparedness For Teaching In Inclusive Settings, Brooke M. Armesto

Honors College Theses

Pre-service teachers majoring in elementary education generally have few opportunities to teach students with disabilities. This research addressed the question “How do newly qualified general elementary education teachers perceive their preparedness to teach in inclusive settings?” The goal of this study was to discover what areas new teachers need to become more proficient in order to successfully teach within inclusive classrooms. The topics explored include perceived preparedness for teaching in inclusive settings, ways to measure preparedness, current approaches in teaching within the inclusive settings and strategies for preparing preservice teachers. Using a qualitative narrative design, five newly qualified elementary inclusion …

Emotional Dimensions Of Teaching In Elementary Education Preparation, Kathleen M. Crawford, Juliann Sergi Mcbrayer, Katherine Fallon

Department of Leadership, Technology, and Human Development Faculty Publications

Student teaching is a pivotal event in teacher education preparation programs, and there is a need to investigate emotions in teaching. This study examined how one elementary program navigated the emotional dimensions of teaching. Findings revealed that the emotional dimensions of student teachers were influenced by individualized factors unique to the teacher; certain emotions were perceived as more acceptable to express; and supervisors needed to support student teachers to manage and respond to the emotional dimensions of teaching. The recommendation is to go beyond the technical and academic aspects of teaching and address the emotional dimensions to best prepare the …

The Power And Purpose Of Choice In Digital Teacher Education, Aimee M. Cribbs

Georgia Educational Research Association Conference

With the call for critical thinkers and problem-solvers, primary and secondary educators are encouraged to use student-driven instruction and performance-based assessment. At the same time, teacher education programs often include lecture-based delivery with formal papers as the primary form of assessment. The changing landscape of virtual learning in the era of Covid-19 provides an opportunity to refine teacher education to mirror the same research-based practices suggested for primary and secondary classrooms. Within a participatory action research model, this author shares the experience of delivering an online graduate-level curriculum design course framed in student choice. Education Specialist candidates chose content and …

Educated: A Memoir And The Impact On Teacher Preparation Programs, Beth Lilly Gregory, Jen Botello

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Journal

No abstract provided.

Enhancing Hbcu Teacher Education Experience Through Authentic University-School Partnerships, Valeisha Ellis, Patricia Jenkins, Tiffany D. Pogue

Georgia Educational Researcher

This mixed-methods study sought to examine teacher education candidates’ practice-based field experiences and relationships with a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) and an urban P-12 school. As informed by the Networked Improvement Community (NIC) and Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) conceptual frameworks, the three phases of data collection indicated highly favorable results of desired objectives for an innovative, authentic field experience for local pre-service teacher candidates and P-12 partners. The study also evidences a positive effect on students’ achievement as a result of this field experience. Recommendations for future research, education preparation programs, and building partnerships with P-12 schools are discussed.

Promoting This We Believe And The Amle Standards With Teacher Candidates, Amanda Wall

Current Issues in Middle Level Education

This article describes approaches to integrating This We Believe and the Association for Middle Level Education Standards into a middle grades course.

Supporting Middle Grades Teacher Candidates In Becoming Culturally Competent, Nathan Carnes

Current Issues in Middle Level Education

The author describes practices to support middle grades teacher candidates' becoming culturally competent.

Keynote. Motivation: Theory Into Practice, David Vawter

Current Issues in Middle Level Education

This paper is based on Dr. Vawter's keynote address at the Southeast Professors of Middle Level Education Symposium.

Collaboration In The Middle: Middle Grades To Higher Education Promoting, Advocating, Igniting Support For Middle Schools, Bridget Coleman, Nancy B. Ruppert

Current Issues in Middle Level Education

The authors provide an overview of the Southeast Professors of Middle Level Education Symposium, which was held in Greenville, SC, May 17-18, 2018. This is the introduction to the proceedings from the Symposium.

Short-Term Study Abroad For Pre-Service Teachers: Personal And Professional Growth In Brighton, England, Erin Mikulec

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

This study examines the personal and professional development of 34 pre-service teachers who participated in a study abroad program for education majors in Brighton, England. The participants completed a variety of assignments and learning activities before, during, and after the program, including 20 hours of observation in area schools. The results indicate that in terms of personal development, the pre-service teachers experienced increased levels of self-confidence, autonomy, tolerance for ambiguity, flexibility and adaptability, and interpersonal skills. Professionally, the participants identified the role of culture in education and pedagogy, described being better equipped to work with diverse learners in the United …

Incorporating The Dragging Feature Of Dynamic Geometry Environments In Teaching And Learning College Geometry, Tuyin An, Ha Nguyen

Proceedings of the Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching and Learning Conference (2017-2019)

In a study about pre-service secondary mathematics teachers’ (PSMTs) understanding about the nature of theorems in geometry, the researcher noticed that it was challenging for the PSMTs to visualize and draw counterexamples to disprove the given mathematical statements. Meanwhile, the use of the dragging feature of dynamic geometry environments (DGEs), such as the Geometer’s Sketchpad and GeoGebra, in teaching and learning proof and reasoning has been widely discussed and become an ongoing research trend. In this paper, the researcher and her colleague will present a research design aimed at investigating PSMTs’ conceptions of counterexamples in geometric reasoning when using the …

Using School Choice To Connect To Mathematics Learning In A Statistics And Probability Course For K-8 Pre-Service Teachers, Ha Nguyen, Heidi Eisenreich

Georgia Educational Researcher

This pilot qualitative study explored K-8 pre-service teachers (PSTs)’ learning experience in a Statistics and Probability course and their ability to make connections between mathematics and their everyday lives when given opportunities to investigate mathematics through a social issue. Data from student surveys, assessments, and written reflections will be reported, analyzed, and discussed. The researchers also describe approaches and reflect upon experiences for PSTs while studying school choice voucher programs.

From Worldviews To Classrooms: Framing Evolution Acceptance In Pre-Service Science Teachers In The Southeastern United States, Amanda Glaze

Georgia Educational Researcher

Research demonstrates that teachers' acceptance or rejection of evolution impacts whether they teach evolution in their classrooms. Furthermore, factors such as religiosity and nature of science understanding impact acceptance or rejection. What is absent from the literature is an exploration of experiences that inform choices made regarding acceptance or rejection, experiences that illuminate the counter-intuitive relationships demonstrated in quantitative studies. For this reason, we explore the lived experiences that inform the worldviews of Pre-Service Secondary Science Teachers (PSSTs) and how those worldviews might inform their acceptance or rejection of evolution. Coding and pattern analysis informed themes within the data explaining …

Encouraging Teacher Candidates To Cultivate Habits Of Reflection, Amanda Wall

Becoming: Journal of the Georgia Association for Middle Level Education

The conceptual framework for the College of Education at Georgia Southern University is: Reflective Practitioners for a Diverse World. Three of the five Middle Level Teacher Preparation Standards from the Association of Middle Level Education (AMLE, 2012) also specify reflection as a habit. Standard 5 on Middle Level Professional Roles, for example, states: “Middle level teacher candidates understand, reflect on, and are successful in their unique roles as middle level professionals.” In order for teacher candidates to become reflective, they need multiple opportunities to engage in reflection.

Problem-Based Learning And The Training Of Secondary Social Studies Teachers: A Case Study Of Candidate Perceptions During Their Field Experience, Charles T. Wynn Sr., William Okie

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

We present results of a case study in which we analyzed the impact of problem-based learning (PBL) and cognitive scaffolding techniques introduced in our secondary social studies methods course on the perceptions and practices of 12 preservice teachers (PSTs) during their fall practicum and spring student teaching. Our PSTs reported teaching 54 PBL lessons and identified factors that encouraged their use of PBL: methods course PBL experiences; improved student exam scores and writing skills, increased engagement; and improved collaborative, deliberative, and cognitive skills. Discouraging factors included the time and effort to plan PBL lessons, coverage demands, and standardized testing. Findings …

Voices From The Field, Lina B. Soares

Georgia Educational Researcher

This research study sought to determine the impact from participation in a practicum field experience on teacher candidates’ perceived professional dispositions for effective teaching. A further intent was to describe what teacher candidates perceived to be the necessary professional dispositions for effective teaching as they reflected on their experiences in their particular preparation contexts. A mixed-methods sequential explanatory design was used to examine and understand the development of dispositions from pre-service teachers’ perspectives. The participants consisted of seventeen middle grade undergraduate students who completed over 200 hours of field experience while attending a mid-size university in the Southeastern region of …

Developing The Whole Teacher: A Phenomenological Case Study Of Student Teachers' Emotional Experiences In One Teacher Education Program, Kathleen M. Crawford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student teaching serves as the culminating field experience in the majority of teacher education programs, and studies have revealed the need to investigate the connection between pre-service teachers and the emotions they experience, express, and manage. Therefore, the overarching purpose of this phenomenological case study was to examine how one Early Childhood (PreK-5^th) Education Program addressed and prepared teachers for the emotional dimensions of teaching, as well as to examine the emotional experiences of the student teachers. The results of this study revealed the need for teacher education programs to amend the ways in which they prepare pre-service …

Perceptions Of Preservice Teachers’ E-Portfolios For Hiring Decisions, Molly Zhou, Marilyn M. Helms

Georgia Educational Researcher

Preservice teachers often build E-portfolios of their work prior to graduation, but their use beyond the college classroom is not clear. To identify if E-portfolios are used during the teacher hiring process, 170 administrators from 84 (K-12) schools in eight North Georgia districts were surveyed regarding their use of E-portfolio materials. Based on the mixed methods used, E-portfolios were not strongly favored for use in decision-making. To increase their usefulness, preservice teachers should actively provide access to artifacts valued by potential employers including certification documents, classroom management plans, evidence of work with Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) students, ability to work …

Service-Learning With Young Students: Validating The Introduction Of Service-Learning In Pre-Service Teacher Education, Nancy M. Arrington

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications

Founded on experience as a practitioner and teacher action-researcher in an elementary school setting, the author shares this study as a validation for introducing the methodology of service-learning in teacher preparation programs. Multiple methods were used in this action research to analyze the effects of participating in a service-learning experience on the self-effi cacy for self-regulated learning of a class of third-grade music students as they participated in an intergenerational project—sharing music and writing with residents in a local nursing home.

The quantitative data included the results from the Children’s Self-Effi cacy Scale (Bandura, 2006) and progress rating scales administered …

Special Educators Describe The Critical Mass Of Co-Teaching, Cynthia T. Shamberger, Kendra W. Henriques

Georgia Educational Research Association Conference

Co-teaching is an instructional approach usually initiated by school administrators to help general and special education teachers who share a single classroom to ensure students with disabilities have access to the general curriculum. Although research regarding co-teaching is still in need of further development in some areas such as student achievement, co-teaching has increasingly grown in popularity as an option for addressing the multiple needs of diverse learners, including students with disabilities. Some school professionals and researchers who are proponents of this instructional delivery model believe that, "At the core of co-teaching is determining what instructional techniques will be most …

Paper 4: Do You See What I See? Deepening Teachers’ Understanding Of Linear Equations Through Student Interviews, Tamara Pearson, Kelli Nipper, Catherine Matos

Georgia Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (GAMTE) Annual Conference

Many teachers have trouble transitioning their students between natural recursive thinking about the data and algebraic notation for representing linear functions (Zazkis & Liljedahl, 2002).

In this study, we interviewed eighteen middle school students to see how they used prior instruction to think about a geometric pattern and construct its corresponding linear equation. All students

were given the same task to complete and were questioned about their thinking during the interview.

We found that the recording of pattern recognition plays a substantial part in helping students recognize and write explicit patterns. By having students decompose the total perimeter into how …