Education Commons^™

Healing Racial Trauma From Public School Systems, Lisa Y. Collins

Journal of Research Initiatives

Oregon needs Black educators in the K-12 public school system. In 35 school districts throughout the state, the number of students of color has risen by over 40% in recent years (Oregon Chief Education Office, 2019). The number of educators of color in the state is under 10%. The number of Black educators is even lower. Research has shown that Black educators improve all students' academic, cultural, and social aspects, especially Black students. Nationally, Black educators were impacted by the Brown v. Board of Education ruling. At that time in history, Black communities fought for civil rights as they experienced …

Football Connections Impact On High School Graduation: A Qualitative Study, Devin Rakin Allison Sr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to understand the influences that playing high school football has on graduation. The theories guiding this study were the theory of connectedness and the theory of attachment and how students' connections to football helped them achieve the goal of graduation. Ainsworth and Bowlby and their theories of attachment were used to tie football as an extracurricular activity to graduation and why educators push for students to be involved. I attempted to show the benefits that involvement in football helps a student succeed in high school. Themes like connections, support, and academics were revealed …

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Connective Experiences Between Elementary Teachers And Parents In A Virtual Setting, Amy J. R. Truett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand how connective experiences are built between elementary teachers and parents in a virtual setting at the ABC school district in the southeastern region of the United States. The theory guiding this study was Siemens’ connectiveness theory, as it explored the students' knowledge impacted by the connective experiences of the network of elementary teachers and parents in accessing their learning and success in the virtual school setting. Three essential research questions focused on the connective experiences between elementary teachers and parents in the virtual setting in the southeastern part of the …

The Extent Of Implementing Evidence-Based Practices In Teaching Mathematics To Students With Learning Disabilities From The Viewpoint Of Their Teachers, Thamer Dakhel Alah Alrfai, Sultan S. Al-Zahrani Phd

International Journal for Research in Education

The goal of this study was to examine to what extent learning disabilities teachers, in Jeddah governorate, use evidence-based approaches in teaching mathematics to students with learning disabilities, and to see whether there were any differences according to sex, education level, teaching level, training courses, and experience. The researchers employed a descriptive methodology using a survey questionnaire. The study population consisted of all elementary and middle school teachers who teach students learning disabilities. The study participants included 248 teachers of students with learning disabilities. The findings of the study showed that the level of implementing evidence-based techniques in teaching mathematics …

A Multi-Site Case Study Of Christian School Leaders And Teachers Who Provide A Welcoming And Inclusive Environment For Students From Low Ses Backgrounds And/Or With Learning Differences, Amanda Blake Champion

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multi-site case study was to examine the intentional practices of Christian school leaders and teachers who strive to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for students from low-socioeconomic (SES) backgrounds and/or with learning differences. The theory guiding this study is Bandura’s social cognitive theory. It connects the beliefs of self-efficacy held by school leaders and teachers to their values and philosophies, and their capability to include and welcome students from low SES backgrounds and/or with learning differences. This study investigated how school leaders and teachers welcome and include students from low SES backgrounds and/or with learning …

Teachers Of General Education: Perceptions And Experiences Teaching Inclusion In U.S. Schools, Ann C. Sander

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

This phenomenological qualitative study explored the perceptions and experiences of a group of U.S. public schools, kindergarten through fifth grade teachers, certified in general education with experience teaching inclusion--a federally mandated practice requiring schools to educate students both with and without disabilities in the same classroom. Much of the literature surrounding inclusion focuses on the perceived benefits of the program and children with disabilities' legal rights. The literature has a limited number of references describing the perceptions and experiences of teachers who are required to provide the educational services necessary for inclusion in the classroom.

In this study, 35 participants …

Elementary Special Education Teachers’ Attitudes Regarding Inclusion, Tara Ridarick, Ravic Ringlaben

LC Journal of Special Education

This study looked at the attitudes of elementary special education teachers in a school district in the Southeastern United States that has been regularly including students with disabilities in general education classrooms for the past ten years. Teacher attitude has been shown to be an important indicator of the success of inclusion. However, students with disabilities as a group continue to not meet expectations on state standardized testing. Clearly, even though schools are practicing inclusion, they may not be experiencing success. The success of inclusion has been linked to the support of the special education teachers (Cook et al., 1999). …

Measuring Teachers' Knowledge Of Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury In The Classroom, Alana C. Moser

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As more children reintegrate into the educational classrooms with traumatic brain injuries (TBI), educational teams must know the best ways to assist these students as they return to school. This predictive correlational study used multiple regression to analyze the linear relationship between the need for additional training of classroom teachers in the area of traumatic brain injury (TBI) based on the number of hours of TBI training teachers have received and their years of teaching experience. The sample included 74 elementary, middle, and high school general and special education classroom teachers throughout Texas. In this non-experimental study, participants submitted their …

Taking Flight: Giving Up The Things That Weigh Me Down, Karina Malik

Occasional Paper Series

From the perspective of a Latinx, dual-language, special education, public school teacher, I explore and detail what an equitable and just education could look like in our future. I begin by envisioning a future that:

• Values collaboration in teaching and learning

• Allows for spaces of ongoing teacher learning where we teachers decide where we want to grow and how we want to learn.

• Invests in our growth and development as educators.

• Consists of a solid understanding that there is more expertise across communities than in any one person.

I continue by explaining that in order for this to be a …

Teachers’ Self-Efficacy And Augmentative And Alternative Communication Technology Use, Tamara Therese Parks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Students identified with disabilities and complex communication needs (CCN) add a unique aspect to teaching practice and pedagogy. Both special education and general education teachers play a vital role in providing opportunities for students to learn and succeed. Using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices is one way for students with CCN to access the general curriculum as well as become active participants in the classroom. Research has indicated that teachers’ attitudes and self-efficacy using AAC may affect how well the devices are used in the classroom. Though teachers are expected to provide the necessary supports required by students with …

A Review Of Integrated Embodied Therapies And Racial Healing In Public Schools, Grace Fosler

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Anti-Black racism lies in the social, political, and economic foundations of the United States of America. Race and racism are manifestations of unhealed generational trauma that negatively impact the minds and bodies of all Americans. Black children are exposed to institutional and interpersonal racism upon entering the public school system, leading many Black students to experience discrimination and segregation, exclusionary discipline, and juvenile entry into the Prison-Industrial Complex. Educators have a unique opportunity to engage in individual and collective racial healing while fostering social change and collective healing in students. An integrated approach of individualized coaching and group embodiment, dance/movement …

Uncommon And Non-Traditional Urban Relationship Strategies: From Relationship Loss To Relationship Recovery, Lasonya L. Moore

Journal of English Learner Education

With increasing student diversity across our nation, there is a growing need to scale up educational innovations related to building holistic relationships. Many students in K-12 public schools enter educational settings with uncommon and nontraditional ways of building and developing longitudinal relationships that allow students to thrive and not just survive. Specifically, teachers/educators feel ill-equipped and ill-trained to adequately support the increasing number of English learners(ELs) and Exceptional education students (specifically Students of Color (SOC) with emotional and behavioral disorders) identified in inclusive classrooms. Thus, there remains an urgent need to share uncommon and non-traditional strategies to develop and build …

Investigating Teachers’ Perspectives Of Gifted Students With Specific Learning Disabilities In Saudi Arabia, Mohamed Aladsani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine teachers’ perspectives of gifted students with SLD in Saudi Arabia. Specifically, this study aimed at examining the relationships between teachers’ perspectives and background factors, including years of teaching experience and gender, that might affect the teachers’ perspectives. In addition, it investigated the teachers’ perspectives about the existence, identification, and education of gifted students with SLD in different regions in Saudi Arabia. This study used statistical analysis of quantitative data collected from an online survey that was adopted and modified specifically for this study. The study participants included 936 teachers with various backgrounds …

Teacher And Problem In Student With Adhd In Indonesia : A Case Study, Iriani Indri Hapsari, Aulia Iskandarsyah, Poeti Joefiani, Juke R Siregar

The Qualitative Report

Students with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) often experience academic and social problems at school because of their behavior problems. The teacher becomes one of the main figures who can help students with ADHD in the school. However, research about problem in students with ADHD from teachers’ perspective has limited empirical evidence in Indonesia. In the study, we explored the perception and experiences of teacher towards problem in students with ADHD and how teachers handle the problem in school. We conducted case study using semi-structured interview with purposive sampling technique for 38 elementary school teachers in Indonesia. We found that …

Stories We Carry Into Classrooms: The Literacy Narratives Of Teachers Of Students With Complex Support Needs, Sharon L. Head

Special Education ETDs

In this study, I used a case-based narrative inquiry to investigate the literacy narratives and the thinking about instructional practices of four teachers of students with complex support needs (CSN) from a small, rural school district in the Southwestern United States. I conducted initial and follow-up interviews and facilitated two focus groups across an eight-week period using a process designed to look at teacher narratives across time and after interactions with peers. My data were in the form of transcripts of all interviews and focus groups that I analyzed using two analytic processes: thematic and narrative (Polkinghorne, 1995). I described …

Special Education In China: Viewing Special Education Through A Cultural Lens, Melissa Hosek

Senior Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to understand the cultural perceptions of disabilities and the impact on special education for teachers at schools in China. Teacher education and knowledge of disabilities was studied through surveys and interviews with Chinese national teachers (N = 12). The two main themes found were the shift in view of those with disabilities from disgrace to honor and the need to use the values in collectivism to continue the positive changes in China. Many teachers were found to have a desire to help students with disabilities but felt they did not have enough knowledge. …

The Perceptions Of Private Special Education School Leaders Regarding Their Role In Promoting Self-Care And Renewal Practices For Themselves And Their Teachers, Theresa Melito-Conners

Educational Studies Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the perceptions of private special education school leaders regarding their role in promoting self-care and renewal. There is limited research on self-care and renewal in schools. Data were gathered through surveys and interviews that addressed three guiding research questions: (a) Do school leaders consider self-care and renewal practices to be important for themselves and their teachers? (b) What are the various ways school leaders report they promote self-care and renewal practices for themselves and their teachers? (c) What do school leaders believe to be the factors and conditions that inhibit and foster their efforts to implement …

An Investigation Of The Qualities, Knowledge, And Skills Of Effective Teachers For Students With Emotional/Behavioral Disorders: The Teacher Perspective, Joseph C. Leggio Ph.D., Katherine L. Terras Ed.D.

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

This study investigated the qualities, knowledge, and skills of effective teachers for students with emotional/behavioral disorders (EBD) from the perspective of six special education teachers. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and a focus group. An analysis of the data yielded three themes. First, effective EBD teachers develop unconditional teacher- student relationships. No matter how many setbacks a student with EBD may experience, the effective EBD teacher relentlessly affirms his or her belief in the student’s ability to succeed. Second, effective EBD teachers create positive classroom environments. When students with EBD are removed from the general education setting or experience …

Primary Factors Impacting Burnout In Special Education Teachers, Jenna Kulberg

Culminating Projects in Special Education

Many factors may lead to burnout of special education teachers. Teachers are faced with overwhelming caseloads, student behaviors, job duties, and a history that has been inconsistent with appropriate supports for students with special needs. The studies that were reviewed offered information that directly correlated with burnout. There was much focus on the three areas addressed by the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educator Survey (MBI-ES). The three areas of burnout according to this survey were emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishments. Studies completed showed tendencies towards the emotional exhaustion being directly related to the highest rate of reasons for burnout among special …

You Must Know Them Before You Can Grow Them, Beatrice "Bea" Lewis

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

It is an inescapable truth that schools must learn as much about their students and their experiences in order to create a culture built on relationships, which is the cornerstone to student learning. The dynamics and complexities of building positive relationships with students are impacted when teachers’ attitudes, values, and biases conflict with school culture. In this interactive “real talk” session, participants will examine their own biases and attitudes that may be hindering the cultivation of positive relationships. Participants will be introduced to a variety of approaches that can be used to evaluate the values, beliefs, and attitudes that are …

Head, Hand And Heart: An Investigation Of Attitude Change In Pre-Service Teachers Towards Students With Disabilities., Marion J. Shields, David Bolton

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

This paper reports on a research project conducted over a period of five years, with final-year pre-service students at a small Australian Christian tertiary education college. The study examined the students’ attitudes towards children with special needs, as measured before and after a mandatory special education course. This course focused on three aspects: the head, which constituted knowledge of characteristics of students with disabilities; the hand, which referred to knowledge of current research-based educational and supportive strategies matched to student needs; and the heart, which were attitudes of empathy, compassion, and support within a Christian framework. Strategies used by the …

Putting Educational Reform Into Practice: The Impact Of The No Child Left Behind Act On Students, Teachers, And Schools, Timothy Song

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis seeks to investigate the effects of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) on U.S. student achievement and teacher effectiveness. By combining the results from various data sources, I am able to indicate the levels of student preparedness, school spending, and specific classroom practices. After an analysis of my results, I suggest that NCLB has found moderate success in increasing the level of math preparedness for younger students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds. On the other hand, the data also suggests that there have been no statistically significant gains in reading achievement after the implementation of NCLB. Additionally, spending …

Effects Of Teacher Training In Trial-Based Functional Analysis Via Video Modeling, Mary Haspel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Trial-based functional analysis (TBFA) is an efficient strategy for assessing challenging behavior in the classroom and a necessary step in developing effective functional assessment- based interventions (FABI). However, researchers have identified several barriers limiting the applicability of this practice in schools, including difficulty in (a) training teachers to mastery; (b) assessing whether teachers can implement this practice independently, with fidelity, in natural settings; and (c) determining whether teachers can use functional analysis (FA) to identify functions of problem behavior and develop effective interventions. This study will address these gaps in the literature by using a novel approach for training teachers …

Hermeneutic Phenomenological Interviewing: Going Beyond Semi-Structured Formats To Help Participants Revisit Experience, Alexandra A. Lauterbach

The Qualitative Report

Phenomenological research traditionally involves multiple focused interviews that rely on the participants’ memories and reflections to revisit experiences. There are many other interview formats that have the potential to support participants in this process by instead engaging with the phenomenon as it presents itself to their consciousness. In this paper, I present an example of how multiple interview formats, including think-aloud, stimulated recall, and semi-structured were used in a hermeneutic phenomenology study exploring expert teachers’ perceptions of teaching literacy within their content area to secondary students with learning disabilities. I provide example protocols in which I used multiple interview formats …

Preparing Multiple-Subject Pre-Service Teachers To Work Effectively With Students Who Have Autism, Makalah Vosmera

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Commission on Teacher Credentialing of the State of California mandates that teacher preparation programs prepare effective and knowledgeable pre-service teachers to teach all students. Through the use of literature review, interviews and surveys with graduating Liberal Studies students, this senior capstone examines whether Liberal Studies graduating students are being prepared to work effectively with autistic students or not. The findings indicate that they take introductory education courses on autism spectrum disorder along with other forms of disabilities, but they do not receive sufficient breadth and depth coverage on how to work effectively with autistic students in regular classrooms.

Phenomenological Dynamic Of How Adhd Student Recidivism Affects Alternative Education Teacher Services, Lisa A. Charette

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The research problem in this study involved the student cycling, or recidivism, problem associated with specialized education environments. In particular, alternative education students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are cycling in and out of alternative and regular education at a concerning frequency. This student recidivism problem affects the services of teachers who are trying to transform them into permanent regular education learners. The purpose of this study was to obtain specific information from these teachers, via the research questions, as it applies to the theoretical foundation of Bandura's self-efficacy construct, and methodological design of the study. The qualitative method of …

Listening To Juvenile Corrections School Teachers: A Step-By-Step Process For Interview Studies Guided By Hermeneutics, Kristin M. Murphy

The Qualitative Report

The act of interviewing is a complex endeavor, and there are many pathways a researcher can take when designing their interview study. This becomes particularly critical when embarking on a study that will require participants to talk about subjects that may be sensitive in nature. In this paper, I share how I utilized a hermeneutic perspective to guide my interview study with teachers from juvenile corrections schools. I explicitly define and walk through why I selected hermeneutics. Then, I provide detailed step by step descriptions of how my data collection and analysis process was informed by the hermeneutic circle. The …

The Construction Of “Discomfort Psychological”: An Exploration Of Italians Teachers' Reports, Antonio Iudici, Matteo Fabbri

The Qualitative Report

Although there are several studies on youth problems in school, there are few studies on how teachers report psychological discomfort of the students and on what criteria does their procedure. Considering that schools increasingly make such reports to social or neuropsychiatry services, we wanted to find out whether it is flawless (bias, etc.) and how it can affect a student's career. This research presents an investigation on how the practice of signaling "psychological discomfort" at school is set up. Objects of the survey are the procedures used by the teachers to submit the psychological problems. The research subjects were Secondary …

Administrator And Teacher Attitudes Toward Inclusion, Heather N. Lemay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to examine the attitudes of teachers and administrators toward inclusion in the classroom. Specifically this study analyzed grade level, years of teaching experience, and levels of education to examine the manner in which these factors relate to attitudes of teachers and administrators toward inclusion.

Participants in this study were located in 3 school districts in East Tennessee. All data were collected through an online survey distributed to prek-12 teachers by way of email from school principals. The analysis of data was based on the responses of 183 teachers and administrators from these 3 school districts. Findings …

Data-Based Decisions Guidelines For Teachers Of Students With Severe Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Bree A. Jimenez, Pamela J. Mims, Diane M. Browder

Pamela J. Mims

Effective practices in student data collection and implementation of data-based instructional decisions are needed for all educators, but are especially important when students have severe intellectual and develop- mental disabilities. Although research in the area of data-based instructional decisions for students with severe disabilities shows benefits for using data, there is limited research to demonstrate teachers in applied settings can acquire the decision-making skills required. The purpose of this research was to demonstrate how teachers from five states acquired a set of data-based decisions implementation guidelines through online professional development. Recommendations for practice and future research are included.