Education Commons^™

Study Protocol For A Cluster-Randomized Trial Of A Bundle Of Implementation Support Strategies To Improve The Fidelity Of Implementation Of Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports In Rural Schools, Lindsey Turner, Hannah G. Calvert, Christopher M. Fleming, Teri Lewis, Carl Siebert, Nate Anderson, Tate Castleton, Ashley Havlivak, Michaela Mcquilkin

Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Improving the implementation of evidence-based interventions is important for population-level impacts. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is effective for improving school climate and students’ behavioral outcomes, but rural schools often lag behind urban and suburban schools in implementing such initiatives.

Methods/Design: This paper describes a Type 3 hybrid implementation-effectiveness trial of Rural School Support Strategies (RS3), a bundle of implementation support strategies selected to improve implementation outcomes in rural schools. In this two-arm parallel group trial, 40 rural public schools are randomized to receive: 1) a series of trainings about PBIS; or 2) an enhanced condition with training …

Implementation Of Physical Activity In Us Elementary Schools: The Role Of Administrative Support, Financial Resources, And Champions, Blake Densley, Hannah G. Calvert, Peter Boedeker, Lindsey Turner

Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

The intentional integration of physical activity in elementary school classrooms—including brief instructional breaks for activity, or integration into lessons—can benefit children’s physical activity and education outcomes. Teachers are key implementation agents, but despite physical activity in the classroom being an evidence-informed practice, many teachers do not regularly implement it. The aim of this study was to obtain updated nationally representative prevalence estimates in United States public elementary schools, regarding four key outcomes: (1) school adoption of physically active lessons (PA lessons); (2) school adoption of physical-activity breaks (PA breaks); (3) penetration in the classroom, defined as ≥50% of teachers using …

Sustainable Instructional Coaching In Secondary Education, Laura Kniffen

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

With higher demands for student achievement and teacher efficacy, school districts have shifted from traditional professional development methods to instructional coaching. This literature review presents research on various models and analyzes the challenges that districts have discovered upon implementation. There are many factors that influence instructional coaches’ effectiveness, yet their flexibility and collaborative skills remain among the most important. In all models, instructional coaches must adapt to each teachers’ needs and juggle the variety of roles they are asked to fulfill. To help instructional coaches distribute their time effectively, research shows that districts must provide clear direction and support for …

An Exploration Of Supports For Increasing Classroom Physical Activity Within Elementary Schools, Hannah G. Calvert, Julianne A. Wenner, Lindsey Turner

Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Classroom-based physical activity (CBPA) can significantly benefit students’ health and educational outcomes, but many teachers do not utilize CBPA. This study examined teachers’ perceptions about the value and impact of several approaches to support CBPA implementation, and teachers’ weekly self-reported CBPA use. Interviews were conducted with 35 classroom teachers (including those using and not using CBPA) at two public elementary schools, and CBPA tracking logs were collected on a weekly basis. Interview transcripts were interpreted through key domains within implementation science. On average, teachers reported using one activity every other day. Interview data revealed that utilizing professional collaboration time for …

Bridging The Research-To-Practice Gap Through Effective Professional Development For Teachers Working With Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Talida State, Brandi Simonsen, Regina G. Hirn, Howard Wills

Department of Teaching and Learning Scholarship and Creative Works

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) experience a variety of externalizing and internalizing behavior problems, gaps in academic achievement, and increased rates of dropping out of school. Thus, it is essential that students with EBD receive evidence-based academic and behavioral supports from skilled and knowledgeable teachers to improve student outcomes. Unfortunately, teachers typically receive limited professional development in classroom management practices and other supports targeting the unique needs of students with EBD. In this manuscript, we describe (a) challenges in the field related to supporting students with EBD, (b) current practices in professional development, (c) a multitiered-system-of-support framework for …

Implementing A University Wide Change Initiative, Ronald A. Styron Jr.

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This paper provides an account of the pilot and first year of a university improvement initiative, developed in response to a reaffirmation mandate from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. The initiative focused on increasing student retention and enhancing learning through the campus-wide use of team-based learning (TBL) (Michaelsen, Knight, & Fink, 2004). The strategy used in implementing the initiative was based on a conceptual framework created from the integration of E. M. Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation theory (2003), J. P. Kotter’s Leading Change strategies (1996), and T. Littman’s Planning Principles and Practices (2013). To date, …

Secondary Social Studies Teachers' Experiences Implementing Common Core State Literacy Standards, Krista Webb

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the experiences of secondary social studies teachers who implemented Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in history/social studies, science and technical subjects in social studies courses requiring End of Course Tests at secondary schools in one suburban district in Georgia. Ten teachers of United States history and economics courses participated in this study. Data was collected through questionnaires, reflective online journaling, documents, individual interviews, and focus groups. Analysis was conducted using transcription, thematic coding, textural and structural descriptions, and a composite description of the essence of the …

Successes And Barriers To The Implementation Of Comprehension Strategy Instruction (Csi), Laura Slack Foley, C. Jones

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

This study surveyed teacher implementation of strategy instruction for improved comprehension. The inquiry positions teachers, administrators, and teacher educators to better understand current levels of implementation of comprehension strategies and suggests ideas for meeting the challenges of increasing and/or sustaining their use.

The Establishment Of Aga Khan University-Institute For Educational Development, Sadrudin Pardhan, Dennish Thiessen

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

No abstract provided.

Why Does Policy Fail? Understanding The Problems Of Policy Implementation In Pakistan - A Neuro-Cognitive Perspective, Sajid Ali

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Education policy in Pakistan, as in other developing countries, faces the challenge of poor implementation. The article explores the history of education policy in Pakistan and describes the conventional accounts of policy failures. It particularly highlights the issues of unclear goals, political commitment, governance, centralisation, resources and foreign aid. Generally, it is assumed that overcoming these conventional challenges will result in better policy outcomes. Although this is partially true, Spillane, Reiser and Reimer (2002) direct our attention to the cognitive factors that play a critical role in policy implementation. They argued that implementing agents try to make sense of policy …