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Preparing Community-Oriented Teachers: Reflections From A Multicultural Service-Learning Standpoint, Marilynne Boyle-Baise

Diversity

The Banneker History Project (BHP) reconstructed the history of a local, segregated school. The Benjamin Banneker School served African American youth from 1913 to 1951. Oral histories from surviving alumni as well as primary documents from the times were sought. This article focuses on ways that one group of participants, 24 preservice teachers of color. experienced and interpreted the BHP. Data are reported in response to three questions: (a) Whose community does service learning serve? (b) What meanings do preservice teachers make of culturally responsive teaching? and (c) Does a community orientation count in teacher education? The author reflects on …

Children’S Books And The Nature Of Science: A Multisite Naturalistic Case Study Of Three Elementary Teachers In The Rural Southeast, Patricia Lynn Bricker

Doctoral Dissertations

This naturalistic case study describes the efforts of three elementary teachers in a rural southeastern school to use children’s books in support of inquiry-based science and specifically addresses issues related to the nature of science. Data were collected through 26 classroom and meeting observations, 16 semi-structured and informal interviews, 35 documents and 76 children’s books used by the teachers. Three themes were identified related to the nature of science and the selection and use of children’s books in the teachers’ second, fourth, and fifth grade classrooms.

1. Science was portrayed as a human endeavor that connects to the lives of people …

Kindergarten Readiness: Using Age Or Skills In Assessing A Child’S Readiness, Leslie Barden Smith

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Currently, age is the primary indicator of kindergarten readiness. A concise list of readiness skills to guide parents and teachers when deciding if a child is ready for kindergarten is lacking. The literature reveals that older age kindergarten entrance is not a predictor of academic success, nor is age an accurate indicator of readiness. In this study, responses from approximately 22 kindergarten teachers to a readiness questionnaire identify and develop a succinct list of the skills these professionals view as most significant for kindergarten readiness. According to the teachers in this study, the ability to sit and listen for approximately …

Automotive Service Technology Intersectional Skills Proficiency Assessment, David L. Macquarrie

Dissertations

This dissertation focused on the creation and validation of a criterion referenced credentialing assessment of automotive service technicians' intersectional skills (ASTIS) proficiency. These intersectional skills are prerequisite and common to multiple job level tasks that an automotive service technician (AST) performs on the job. An assessment of the ASTIS was created to aid automotive technician employers in the evaluation of hiring prospective technician employees and is not duplicated by current certifications (e.g. ASE) as they do not uniquely assess these skills.

This dissertation focused on the ASTIS skills and the information an employer can obtain pertaining to a prospective employee's …

Citizenship Education In Pakistani Schools: Problems And Possibilities, Bernadette L. Dean

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

A critical aspect of education that is often overlooked or inadequately addressed is the preparation of school students for citizenship. This paper assesses the current state of citizenship education in Pakistani schools. It draws on the findings of two research studies: an analysis of the social studies curriculum and textbooks and a review of teaching and learning practices in schools. The findings indicate that the curriculum and textbooks do not distinguish between Islamic education and citizenship education and promotes exclusionary and passive citizenship. They also shows that while Pakistani students acquire knowledge and learn some important values in schools, they …

Teaching Today's Diverse Student Population In Schools, Elizabeth F. Hurdle

Theses & Honors Papers

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate teacher candidates' attitude and knowledge level toward the adequacy of their teacher training for meeting the needs of a diversified school population and to make recommendations for any restructuring in a University teacher training program. A survey research method using a convenience sample size of (N = 240) was used to collect data for this study. The sample of 240 participants included graduate and undergraduate teacher candidates who had completed student teaching and alumni from the last five years. A self-developed questionnaire with 35 Likert-type questions and four open-ended questions was …

Critical Pedagogy, Image Theater And The Instruction Of Diversity Education, Franklin Titus Thompson

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

This interactive workshop utilizes Critical Pedagogy, Image Theater, and Forum Theater in the instruction of race, human, and gender relations. It borrows from Paulo Freire and Augusto Boal’s concept of Humanizing Education. Praxis, the dialectical relationship between thought and practice, becomes the vehicle for establishing a problem solving process that leads to “Permanent Relationships.”

Well-Being, Burnout And Competence : Implications For Teachers., Hitendra Pillay, Richard Goddard, Lynn Wilss

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Traditionally, the teaching role has been one of nurturing and developing students’ potential. However, teachers’ work today comprises a complex mix of various factors that include teaching; learning new information and skills; keeping abreast of technological innovations and dealing with students, parents and the community. These are demanding roles and there are growing concerns about teacher well-being and competence. In particular, teachers are experiencing increasing levels of attrition, stress and burnout. This study investigated the relationship between burnout and competence for a sample of mid-career teachers in primary and secondary schools in Queensland. The results break new ground in reporting …

Changing Perceptions Of Knowledge : Evaluation Of An Innovative Program For Pre-Service Secondary Teachers., Neil Hooley, Rod Moore

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Pre-service programs for secondary teachers have traditionally involved method subjects, where participants are inducted into the curriculum practices of two disciplinary or subject areas. In 2003, Victoria University of Technology, Melbourne, enrolled a small group of fourteen pre-service teachers into an innovative Graduate Diploma of Secondary Education that directly challenged these program assumptions. Method subjects were collapsed into an integrated study of the theory, skills and practices of classroom work and connections were drawn between all enrolled subjects or knowledge. Another key feature of the program involved all pre-service teachers being placed at the one school for their partnership experience, …

Teachers Mentoring Teachers: A View Over Time, Nate Mccaughtry, Donetta Cothran, Pamela Hodges Kulinna, Jeffrey J. Martin, Roberta Faust

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

from the introduction: "It was the purpose of this investigation to explore one school districtʼs professional development program intended to address the challenges that newer teachers face when learning new curricula."

Administrators’ Perspectives Of Diversity: An Examination Of The University Of Florida, Brigitta Johnson

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal

The issue of successful diversity management is of particular concern now because of changing demographics. This research documents how administrators at the University of Florida have struggled with the challenge of diversity in recent years and makes suggestions for how administrators at other institutions can learn from this example.

Collaborative Action Learning And Leadership: A Feminist/Indigenous Model For Higher Education, Judy Witt, Four Arrows

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal

An article discussion the intersectionality of feminism, traditional Indigenous models of leadership, and modern leadership studies.

Volume 17, Number 01, G. William Hill Editor, Linda M. Noble Editor

Reaching Through Teaching

Full text of Volume 17, Number 01 of Reaching Through Teaching.

Nefdc Exchange, Volume 16, Number 2, Fall 2005, New England Faculty Development Consortium

NEFDC Exchange

Contents

Message from the President - Judith Kamber, Northern Essex Community College

From the editors - Tom Thibodeau, New England Institue of Technology, and Steve Berrien, Bristol Community College

Praising the Profession - Thomas S. Edwards, Thomas College

Faculty Development for Community College Leadership - Charles Kaminski, Berkshire Community College

Literacy Identity and Diversity - Melissa M. Juchniewicz, Northern Essex Community College

Connecting with Others

Dwell in Possibility - Bill Searle, Asnuntuck Community College

Meet Our New Board Members

NEFDC Fall Conference, Friday, November 4, 2005, Westford, Massachusetts; theme: Beyond Tolerance: Diversity and the Challenge of Pedagogy in American Higher …

Web-Enhanced Instruction: A Mixed Bag, Carol Mullen

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal

Professionals are being expected to function in a progressively complex environment in all fields (Twale & Kochan, 2000). Technology plays a significant role in this challenge (Diem, 2002; Karlen, 2001), particularly for educational leaders (Mendis, 2002). Teaching and leading have become increasingly multifaceted art forms with the advent of learning technologies. University and school faculty are being expected to design, deliver, and assess successful online courses (Fuks, Gerosa, & de Lucena, 2002; Mendis, 2002), often without the necessary training and support (Walker, 2002). As face-to-face contact becomes reduced through online environments, effective communication becomes essential and barriers more pronounced (e.g., …

Preparing Teachers To Create A Mainstream Science Classroom Conducive To The Needs Of English-Language Learners: A Feminist Action Research Project, Gayle A. Buck, Colette Mast, Nancy Ehlers, Elizabeth Franklin

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

A feminist action research team, which consisted of a science educator, an English-language learner (ELL) educator, a first-year science teacher, and a graduate assistant, set a goal to work together to explore the process a beginning teacher goes through to establish a classroom conducive to the needs of middle-level ELL learners. The guiding questions of the study were answered by gathering a wealth of data over the course of 5 months and taken from the classroom, planning sessions, and researchers and students. These data were collected by observations, semistructured interviews, and written document reviews. The progressive analysis ultimately revealed that: …

Nontraditional Alternative Teacher Certification Programs: Their Purpose, Design And Participants, Phyllis K. Adcock, Marc Mahlios

Essays in Education

When the subject of nontraditional alternative teacher certification programs is discussed among teacher educators, there seems to be a wariness due to the way in which nontraditional alternative teacher certification has been managed in the past. However, current research seems to bear out that quality nontraditional alternative certification programs are not only helping with teacher shortages, but are producing quality teachers who know how students learn and are effective in their roles as teachers (Ducharme & Ducharme, 1998).

Generalization Of Parent And Teacher Experiences In Cbc: Where Are They Now?, Ashley M. Rohlk, Kathryn E. Woods, Susan M. Sheridan, Michelle S. Swanger, Brandy L. Clark

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools: Posters, Addresses, and Presentations

• Conjoint behavioral consultation (CBC) is a structured, indirect model wherein a consultant works with a parent and teacher together to promote collaborative, problem-solving partnerships across home and school settings (Sheridan, Kratochwill, & Bergan, 1996). • Goals of CBC are to address child concerns shared by parents and teachers, enhance problem-solving skills of parents and teachers, and promote future home-school partnerships. • CBC has been shown to be effective in addressing a range of behavioral, social, and academic concerns (Kratochwill, Elliott, & Busse, 1998; Sheridan, Eagle, Cowan, & Mickelson, 2001) across home and school settings, and parents and teachers report …

An Exploratory Study Of The Experiences Of Gay, Lesbian, And Bisexual Fraternity And Sorority Members Revisited, Douglas N. Case, Grahaeme A. Hesp, Charles G. Eberly

Charles G. Eberly

The lead author questioned over 500 self-identified gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) fraternity and sorority members to assess their reasons for joining; how their membership affected their sexual identity development and intimate relationships; the degree of homophobia and heterosexism encountered; how sexual orientation affected the quality of their fraternal experiences; and the level of acceptance or rejection they faced. Many respondents were in the early phases of sexual identity development at the time they joined, and most chose to conceal their sexual orientation from their fellow members. This study details the reactions from fellow members, assesses satisfaction with the fraternity …

Collateral Learning Through Service-Learning: Developing Competent Business Professionals, Janice Gygi, Susan R. Madsen

Susan R. Madsen

Stakeholders of business schools expect graduates to have certain collateral skills in addition to the specific skills required by the discipline. These skills have been identified as quantitative analysis, information technology, diversity, teamwork and interpersonal, critical and analytical thinking, verbal and written communication, and ethical. This literature review suggests that service-learning should be an excellent way to help students develop collateral as well as discipline-specific skills. This may be due to the high motivation to learn that students gain from working in the real world with individuals whose lives are impacted by the quality of service provided by the students.

An Exploratory Study Of The Experiences Of Gay, Lesbian, And Bisexual Fraternity And Sorority Members Revisited, Douglas N. Case, Grahaeme A. Hesp, Charles G. Eberly

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The lead author questioned over 500 self-identified gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) fraternity and sorority members to assess their reasons for joining; how their membership affected their sexual identity development and intimate relationships; the degree of homophobia and heterosexism encountered; how sexual orientation affected the quality of their fraternal experiences; and the level of acceptance or rejection they faced. Many respondents were in the early phases of sexual identity development at the time they joined, and most chose to conceal their sexual orientation from their fellow members. This study details the reactions from fellow members, assesses satisfaction with the fraternity …

Relationships Between Consultation Training And Practice: Serving Families And Schools, Jennifer D. Burt, Stanley A. Garbacz, Susan M. Sheridan, Kathryn A. Black, Stephanie C. Olson

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools: Posters, Addresses, and Presentations

• Children and families face more challenges than at any time in recent history. For example, there are increasing numbers of children who live in poverty, and/or single-parent homes.

• Schools are being called to engage in deeper partnerships with parents and communities to address these complex needs (Ysseldyke et al., 1997).

• Consequently, home-school partnership models have become a top priority in the field of school psychology (Christenson, 2004; Ysseldyke et al., 1997).

• Additionally, indirect services are emphasized more than ever before, with data-based consultation models being recognized as an essential skill in the school psychologist’s repertoire (Sheridan …

In The Beginning, Mack Hines Iii

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal

Volumes of research have documented the implementation of peer assessment in higher education (Falchikov, 1986; Huba & Freed, 2000). The literature doesn’t denote the impact of peer assessment on teacher education students. This study filled that void by investigating first-year teacher education students’ views of peer assessment.

Wright State University College Of Education And Human Services Annual Report, July 1, 2004-June 30, 2005, College Of Education And Human Services, Wright State University

College of Education and Human Services Annual Reports

This Wright State University College of Education and Human Services annual report is from July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005.

Student Perception Of Behavior Management Systems, Jennifer L. Dayton

Theses and Dissertations

The following qualitative study focuses on how students perceive classroom behavior management systems. The process of research consisted of observation of students in their natural classroom setting, the completion of the Student Beliefs of Discipline Inventory Survey by the students, and informal interviews. A total of twenty seven fourth and fifth grade students participated in the study. The major themes of the study consisted of the students' perception of responsibility in the classroom and the common misbehaviors identified by the students. The results of the study concluded that a majority of the students want to have some responsibility for decisions …

Standardized Educational Assessments: The Effects On Teachers In A South Jersey Elementary School, Ashley P. Root

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore how standardized testing affects teaching methods. The major aspects of this qualitative study focus around two questions: How do the pressures and incentives inflicted by standardized achievement tests affect or change teacher instruction? The site for the research is in an elementary school in Gloucester Township, New Jersey. The population for this study consists of teachers ranging from kindergarten teachers to fifth grade teachers. My research is based on interpretation of data gathered by investigation and examination. I used observations, analysis of materials, survey responses, and questionnaires as the basis for my …

The Connection Between Gender And Literacy In A First Grade Classroom, Jessica V. Feldman

Theses and Dissertations

This study is a qualitative case study that explores the connection between literacy and gender in a first grade classroom environment. The subjects for this study are twenty first grade students in a regular education classroom located in a southern New Jersey elementary school. For this study, students were observed with the attempt to answer three questions: 1) What gender stereotypes have these first graders internalized coming into the classroom? 2) How are these gender beliefs expressed in the language arts classroom? 3) What are teachers doing to foster these biases in their students? Data collected includes student writings, discussions, …

An Exploratory Investigation Of The Effects Of Prewriting On Fifth Grade Students' Writing Ability, Katie Montegary

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the use of a graphic organizer during the prewriting stage of the writing process improved the writing of narrative compositions in fifth grade students. For this study, the Four Square approach to writing was the selected prewriting strategy. Four Square Writing is a systematic approach to writing designed around a graphic organizer that teaches students how plan before they write. The students in this study were introduced to the approach through small group instruction over a five-week period. By interviewing students, comparing writing samples throughout the intervention, and assessing …

Response To Gender In The Classroom: A Look At A Teacher's Reaction To Her Students And Its Effect, Victoria A. Henwood

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to understand a teacher's response to boys and girls in the classroom and determine whether this has an effect on students' perceptions of gender. Using a qualitative study and analyzing interviews, observations, and a gender activity through a data analysis spiral (Creswell 1998) in a first grade classroom with a female teacher, I discovered a teacher's perception of gender influences her interactions with students. Through the gender activity, I found this interaction can help shape a student's perception of gender.

Inclusion: A View From Students And Teachers, Elizabeth A. Carroll

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine students' and teachers' opinions on the inclusion model and its implementation in classrooms today. This study was conducted in an elementary school (grades one through five) in a K-12 public school district in Roosevelt Township, New Jersey. The participants were 27 second and third grade multiage students as well as 7 second and third grade teachers with varied teaching experiences and certifications. Teacher participants completed open-ended questionnaires while student participants completed surveys in which they used a rating scale to assign their comfort level with varied example situations. Data from the surveys …