Education Commons^™

Does A Two-Week Pre-K Camp Have An Effect On The Outcomes Of Kindergartners Over The First Two Grading Periods?, Jessica Virden

All Graduate Projects

This project will examine the academic effects a two-week, Pre-Kindergarten camp has on students entering kindergarten. The goals of the summer camp were to provide the students an opportunity to learn school routines, familiarize themselves with the teachers and building layout, and begin learning early reading and math skills. The program's focus was to make the students' transition into the school year both smooth and successful. The participants were evaluated two different times, spanning four months. Current literature, as well as data collection was used to determine results. t-tests comparing two equal variances were tabulated on seven literacy assessment components …

Deficient Policy Communication Deficient Outcomes – Capacity Building Policy Under Education Reforms In Sindh, Pakistan, Sajid Ali

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Education decentralisation in Pakistan started from 2001 through an all-out devolution programme of the government across sectors. To strengthen the decentralisation reform and build capacity of district educational managers a USAID sponsored programme Education Sector Reform Assistance (ESRA) was launched in 2003. In order to assess the impact of these capacity building initiatives, a research study was carried out during 2005-2006. The research used qualitative design and was carried out in one of the ESRA target districts in Sindh province. The paper argues the improper communication of policy severely compromised the achievement of intended policy objectives. The research noted that …

Boys And Writing: Strategies To Support Struggling Boy Writers, Dionne Corinne Ellingsen

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop a guide for elementary teachers to improve writing strategies and motivation of boys. Nationally, boys are more likely than girls to struggle with writing in the elementary classroom. Teachers need to understand the differences that boys and girls bring to their classroom and develop strategies and lessons that make writing more inviting to boys. The project discusses current research about why boys are more likely to struggle than girls, because of innate differences in the brain, the classroom arrangement, and issues of motivation. It also provides a guide of activities and strategies …

How Do Teacher Qualifications Impact Student Achievement In Relation To The Achievement Model Established By The Mississippi Department Of Education?, Timothy Darren Holland

Dissertations

The following study was conducted in a six-county geographical region and involved teachers from various high schools that taught classes which were involved in the subject area testing program. Each participant taught one of the four state-mandated subject area classes that are tested to determine achievement levels and accreditation ratings for each high school.

The focus of the study was to collect information from each teacher regarding the qualifications they held during the 2009-2010 school year and to compare those qualifications with the mean scale score for each teacher’s subject area classes. The researcher focused on five separate teacher qualifications …

Teacher Professional Development And Its Effects On Reading Instruction, Kristen Lea Suarez

Dissertations

The world of education is an ever-evolving profession. We, as a society, have learned so much about education and how we can better benefit our students. Students depend on education to equip them with the tools needed to become successful. This dissertation addresses the need for and adequacy of today’s teacher professional development in Reading instruction and how that training can translate into more meaningful classroom education.

The writer surveyed elementary Reading teachers in grades 3-6 from two school districts in southern Mississippi to determine their perceptions concerning various elements of the professional development training they received during the 2009-2010 …

Teacher Preparedness For Teaching And Assessing Depth Of Knowledge, Shelly Rankin Holmes

Dissertations

In the state of Mississippi, students in grades 3 through 8 are required to take an annual assessment, called MCT II, in Language Arts, Mathematics, and, more recently, Science. The results of this assessment may cause punitive consequences for each school and school district. State leaders have become increasingly concerned with student performance and accountability. Therefore, they have redesigned this assessment to accommodate a more challenging curriculum and to ensure alignment with national standards. The unanswered question is whether or not we have adequately prepared teachers for the increase in rigor and depth of knowledge for this assessment. A questionnaire …

A Case Study Of Spanish Language Use In A Texas Border Colonia, Maria E. Diaz

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This case study reveals a Spanish language marginalization in a South Texas community of mostly Latinos, who are the fastest growing group in the U.S. (Colombi & Roca, 2003); furthermore, approximately 77% of English language learners (ELLs) have Spanish as their heritage language (Hopstock & Stephenson, 2003). Nevertheless, ELLs do not receive much academic literacy support in their first language in many schools (Zehler et al., 2003). Thus, out-of- school social practices play an important role on maintaining a native language (e.g., Burrows-Goodwill, 2009; Reyes, 2006). However, researchers have not explored this phenomenon in Texas border colonias, or unincorporated areas …

Character Education Seeking The Best Of Both Worlds: A Study Of Cultural Identity And Leadership In Egypt., Rania M Rafik Khalil, Nevien Mattar

English Language and Literature

No abstract provided.

Faculty Institute On Research Based-Learning In High Impact Courses, University Of Nevada, Las Vegas

UNLV Libraries-Greater Western Library Alliance Conference

In Spring 2009, the Library Advisory Board agreed to fund a proposal for the Libraries to collaborate with campus partners to provide support to faculty who were faced with several initiatives that impact the way faculty deliver their course content, develop their assignments and assess their success. These initiatives include the movement to large enrollment classes, especially for large impact, core courses; the redesign of the general education requirements around universal learning outcomes; and, enhancing the first-year experience for incoming students. There is no single entity on campus in a position to provide the faculty support and development needed.

The …

Loving The World And Our Children Enough--Nurturing Decidedly Different Scientifc Minds, By Design, Stephanie Pace Marshall

Publications & Research

Wise world-shaping and problem-solving requires that we and our children think in decidedly different, integral and wise ways. This transformation requires a fundamental shift in consciousness and the emergence of global minds that can creatively live into a new worldview of an interconnected planet and a sustainable and interdependent human family. "The fullness of our humanity and the sustainability of our planet rest with the nurturing of decidedly different minds."

Academic And Social Aspects Of Recent Immigrant Children's School Experiences In A Public Elementary School In A U.S.- Mexico Border Town In South Texas, Alicia Judith Bolt

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

In this study I examined school experiences of recent immigrant students who came to the Ollin South elementary school in Texas, U.S., with prior schooling in Yolitzli, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Using an ethnographic perspective, I analyzed how children and their parents and teachers described children's schooling experiences, challenges, and transition processes. I conducted semi-structured and open-ended interviews with ten students enrolled in 1st through 5th grade in a public elementary school in Ollin, Texas. I also interviewed the parents and teachers of the students to gain a broader perspective of student experiences and schooling processes on both sides of the border. …

Subversive Representations Of Education In Francophone Novels Of The Colonial Maghreb, Whitney Bevill

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

Much work exploring alterity and hybridity in the Maghreb ignores representations of education which confront seminal formative experiences, specifically education. French colonial education was problematic because it granted access to the colonizer’s culture, yet it also created a rupture in self-identity for Maghrebi students. In this thesis, I interrogate the literary representations of sites and sources of education by analyzing how these representations discuss the tension between formal French education and informal Maghrebi education.

My thesis begins with a historical overview of colonial education in the Maghreb. I then discuss literary methods of negotiating identity, contrasting Arab and Western autobiography …

K-5 Library Media Curriculum Map And Standards Crosswalk, Tessa Kateri Watters

All Graduate Projects

The American Library Association (ALA) has published standards of skills students need in the 21st century. Washington state librarians use these standards as a foundation for their curriculum. The Catholic School Librarian Association (CSLA) has adopted these standards to create grade level expectations. Using the standards published by the American Library Association and the Catholic School Librarians, this project is a curriculum map, outlining skills to be taught chronologically throughout the academic year for grades kindergarten through fifth grade. Also included is a crosswalk identifying the local, state, and professional standards for each skill listed on the curriculum map. The …

Using Technology To Increase Interest In The Learning Of Mathematics, Teresa May Anderson

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop unit openers in the form of PowerPoint presentations to introduce students to upcoming topics. Within the PowerPoint presentations, relevant visual images are used to pique the interest of the students. Also, within the presentations are opportunities for students to use a hand-held Student Response System to respond to questions. The questions the students answer are related to the upcoming material. After responses are entered, a visual display will show the responses and discussion will follow between the students and the teacher. The project will be used in geometry mathematics classrooms at the …

Welcome, Patricia R. Renick Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Welcome to the Winter/Spring edition of The Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education. This particular edition has a very real international dialogue concerning the inclusion of students with special needs in general education classrooms.

Dr. Tsafi Timor provide a thought provoking discussion and analysis of two approaches to classroom management. This article starts with a great quote from Dr. Harry Wong.

Syed Salma Jameel provides a new perspective concerning students with special needs enrolled in colleges and universities. This article links employability with the need for higher education and highlights the issues of including students with special needs in higher education. …

Teachers' Beliefs And Practices Observed In Inclusive Classes, Gyagenda Khamis

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The world over there is a wave towards more inclusive education for children who are disadvantaged in one-way or another. The Salamanca conference of 1994 focused on the child with Special Education Needs (SEN) with a call to governments to ensure that such children were given an appropriate education especially by being included in mainstream classes. Developing countries shows less initiative and effort towards including the child with SEN, with more efforts towards including the girl child. But some schools are implementing the policy on their own initiative. It can be assumed that their belief in inclusive education drive their …

Preservice Teachers' Confidence Levels In Working With Students With Special Needs: Improving Preservice Teacher Training Programs, Woo Jung Ph.D., Grace Cho Ph.D., Debra Ambrosetti Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Teacher confidence levels have been shown to increase with training, exposure to specific situations, knowledge, and utilization of interventions. The purpose of this study was to investigate preservice teachers’ confidence levels in teaching students with special needs. The 287 participants were from three separate education departments within a college of education. The results indicated that students working toward a teaching credential in the field of special education reported higher confidence levels than did those seeking a credential in secondary and elementary education. In addition, secondary teacher candidates reported higher confidence levels than did elementary teacher candidates. Based on the findings, …

Paraeducators Perceptions Of Their Roles In Inclusive Classrooms: A National Study Of Paraeducators, Ida M. Malian Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

With increased mandates for providing FAPE, districts are employing paraprofessionals-specifically paraeducators to assist in special education as well as inclusive classrooms. A National Survey was conducted to ascertain paraeducators perceptions regarding their roles with inclusive classes, collaboration with general and special education teachers, responsibilities within the classroom regarding instruction and other management of the daily routines, their beliefs about teaching and training needs. Respondent included 202 paraprofessionals from 34 states with varying degrees of experience and training. Overall, paraprofessionals were positive about their roles in the classroom ad the impact of their work with students with disabilities. More time for …

Preparing For Secondary Inclusion: What Educators Can Learn From Parents Of Students With Disabilities, Denise Ousley, Chris O'Brien

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

As part of a movement toward collaboration between general and special education teacher preparation, the authors met with focus groups including parents of teenagers with disabilities, English and special education teachers, and pre-service teachers from both programs. Some of our most relevant findings sprang from conversations with parents whose children were placed in inclusive settings. The issues that surfaced highlight several issues relevant to teacher development and support. Most remarkable is the clarification that there are two worlds of education: school for the masses and school for the exceptions. The purpose of this article is to present what we learned …

Research Topic: Is Physical Education A Form Of Exclusionary Closure To Children With Disabilities?, Chiome Chrispen, Chadamoyo Patrick, Mudyahoto Tapiwa

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Worldwide, there are benefits that accrue to children or adults who engage in physical activities (Johnson, 2009). Within this context, this study sought to find out the conditions under which students with disabilities participate in Physical Education in Zimbabwean schools. A purposive sample of 72 teachers and 15 heads of schools who are students of Great Zimbabwe University participated. The research was largely qualitative, gathering data through a survey that used an open ended questionnaire for teachers and focused interviews for school heads. The typical experiences in schools are a complete denigration of the children with disabilities. Evidence indicates that …

Children With Disabilities In Private Inclusive Schools In Mumbai: Experiences And Challenges, Ashima Das Ph.D., Ruth Kattumuri

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

‘Inclusive education’ policy has been introduced in India, however the concept is in its infancy This qualitative study analyses the case of children with disabilities studying in private inclusive schools of Mumbai. It discusses the development of self concept, elucidates the benefits and challenges of children with disabilities in inclusive education. We then suggest recommendations for improvements in implementing inclusive education in India.

Book Review Of "Culture, Curriculum, And Identity In Education" By H. Richard Milner (Ed.) (2010), New York, Palgrave Mcmilla., Edward Shizha

Edward Shizha

Identity involves different facets of human self-definition and is unequivocally a vital element of individuals’ lives, especially in diverse societies. Culture and identity are intertwined. In education, culture in the curriculum plays a vital component in students’ identity formations. Supportive school environments provide socially, culturally and linguistically appropriate curricula that legitimize identity formations. Teachers and the curricula they teach are sources of identity formation. Every classroom encounter is largely dictated by the teacher’s role and the perception the teacher has of the students.

A Study Of The Impact Of A School-Based, Job-Embedded Professional Development Program On Elementary And Middle School Teacher Efficacy For Technology Integration, Yvonne M. Skoretz

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a school-based, jobembedded professional development program on elementary and middle school teacher efficacy for technology integration. Teacher efficacy has been identified as a strong predictor of whether the content of professional development will transfer to classroom practice (Bandura, 1997). Using a conversion mixed methods quasi-experimental research design, qualitative data were collected from the experimental groups’ journal postings. Grappling’s Technology and Learning Spectrum (Porter, 2002) was used to convert this qualitative data into quantitative data to determine the change in levels of technology integration in classroom practice. The Computer Technology …

Disability In The Context Of Higher Education: Issues And Concerns In India, Syed Salma Jameel

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Disability in higher education has different implications from that of school Education. Higher education increases the chance of employability, thus, affirming dignified life for the persons with disabilities. While going through the policies and programmes in India it is found that not much has been done in the field of disability and higher education. There are number of groups working on the school education of children with disabilities. This has not translated in the entry of students to higher education because of various reasons. Infrastructural facilities within institutions, attitudes towards persons with disabilities, transportation facilities, and lack of support services …

Attitudes Of Beginner Teachers Of Special Education To Classroom Management: Who's The Boss Here?, Tsafi Timor Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The study deals with approaches of beginner teachers from a Special Education Training Programs to classroom management and to instruction with regard to two approaches: the Humanistic approach (or Student-Centered Approach), and the Custodial approach (or Teacher-Centered Approach). mixed use of both approaches in classroom management practices with a tendency towards the Humanistic approach. The Custodial approach was observed as related to issues of control and attitude towards violence whereas the Humanistic approach was found to be related to student-teacher relations, belief in students' abilities and perceptions of discipline. However, approach towards instruction and teaching was observed as related in …

Teachers' Attitudes Toward The Inclusion Of Students With Autism And Emotional Behavioral Disorder, Jennifer M. Cassady

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

General education teachers have differing views about the inclusion of students with disabilities in mainstream classrooms. However, the type and severity of the children’s disabilities affect teachers’ willingness to accommodate certain students and their confidence that they will effectively manage their classroom. It has been reported that teachers have expressed concerns about having students with autism and emotional behavioral disorder in the general education setting because of the children’s lack of social skills, behavioral outbursts, modifications made to the curriculum, and lack of training and supports. Many instructors do not believe they are able to teach these populations effectively while …

Mvip: Math Villages For Inclusive Practices: A Model To Engage All Students And Teachers In Stem Experiences, Ida Malian Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The Math Villages for Inclusive Practices (MVIP) model supports inclusive practices through a) the inclusion of students with disabilities, specifically mathematics disabilities into STEM related activities, b) co-teaching of STEM related topics as professional development, c) “hands-on” real life problems to be addressed collaboratively with students and co-teachers.

MVIP model levels the playing field for students with math disabilities to be engaged in integrated STEM activities. Co-teachers support these activities through professional development that creates content-rich and differentiated instruction for all students. The village concept is derived from the membership of the village learners which includes students, special educators and …

Planning Learning Experiences In The Inclusive Classroom: Implementing The Three Core Udl Principles To Motivate, Challenge And Engage All Learners, Jennifer L. Jones, Karrie A. Jones, Paul J. Vermette

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

In 2010, Vermette, Jones, Jones, Werner, Kline & D’Angelo published a lesson planning format, the PLE (planned learning experience) designed to help teachers meet the demands of the ever diversifying, ever demanding American secondary classroom (Vermette et al., 2010). This model helps teachers do more than simply create a “lesson plan” (a list of maneuvers for the teacher), but provides a framework for crafting authentic, meaningful and engaging learning experiences for all students. Given this great challenge, this article deconstructs the PLE in light of the three core principles of UDL (Universal Design for Learning) and considers the ramifications of …

Effects Of Co-Teaching On The Biology Achievement Of Typical And At-Risk Students Educated In Secondary Inclusion Settings, Polly G. Haselden Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

School accountability is at the forefront of education with the recent passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) in January 2001. One well-known instructional strategy, co-teaching has the potential to improve the academic performance of students (i.e., typical and at-risk) educated in general education classrooms. A co-teaching intervention that included operationalized components of instructional delivery and a support class was compared to the traditional instructional delivery of students receiving science instruction from a general education teacher alone in four high school biology classrooms. Results indicated that there were no significant differences between the groups of students educated in …

Determining Data Information Literacy Needs: A Study Of Students And Research Faculty, Jake R. Carlson, Michael Fosmire, Chris Miller, Megan R. Sapp Nelson

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

Researchers increasingly need to integrate the disposition, management and curation of their data into their current workflows. However, it is not yet clear to what extent faculty and students are sufficiently prepared to take on these responsibilities. This paper articulates the need for a data information literacy program (DIL) to prepare students to engage in such an “e-research” environment. Assessments of faculty interviews and student performance in a geoinformatics course provide complementary sources of information, which are then filtered through the perspective of ACRL’s information literacy competency standards to produce a draft set of outcomes for a data information literacy …