Education Commons^™

An Exploration Of The Role Of Alternative Certification Programs In Teacher Preparedness, Bianca Dugas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alternative certification programs (ACPs) recently gained popularity due to their brevity and appeal to second-career candidates. However, research shows that alternatively certified teachers often need more pedagogical skills than traditionally certified teachers, leading to the possibility of experiencing challenges their first year as an educator. To address this problem, the role of ACPs in teacher preparation was investigated to identify ways to close the gaps and provide ongoing support to alternatively certified teachers. The purpose of this study was to explore the preparedness of teachers based on their experiences in their ACPs. The study was framed within Malcolm Knowles’s adult …

Cultivating Massachusetts Public Elementary School Formal Teacher-Leadership, Amy Mitchell

Educational Studies Dissertations

In Massachusetts public elementary schools, teaching and leadership roles are perceived as mutually exclusive rather than interwoven. Despite credentials that would recognize Massachusetts public elementary school teachers as leaders beyond their classrooms, the leadership frame of reference attests that those who have the position, power and authority to lead (e.g., superintendents, directors, principals) are the leaders of schools and school districts. Because of this, the prospect of an expanded pathway for formal public elementary school teacher-leadership is challenged and there is a dearth of literature pertaining to formal teacher-leadership practices in public elementary schools. This study sought to understand this …

Understanding Teacher Experience With Instructional Coaching To Inform Program Improvement Reflecting The Principles Of Adult Learning Theory: A Mixed Method Case Study, Shay Reitz

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

Instructional Coaching (IC) is a strand of Professional Development (PD) during which an instructional coach provides individualized support and feedback to teachers, focused on instruction, generally within the context of the teacher’s classroom (Kraft et al., 2018). This fully integrated mixed method case study examined teacher experience with IC in order to understand which operational and emotional components of IC had the greatest perceived impact, in order to inform program improvement. Adult learning theory served as the conceptual framework for this study; the process of teaching adults is known as andragogy (Knowles, 1980). Andragogy indicates that teaching adults in a …

A Case Study On The Self-Perceptions Of The Role, Responsibilities, And Professional Development Needs Of Instructional Coaches, Karen Auton

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This case study was an exploration of how instructional coaches self-perceived the role and the responsibilities of the role, the barriers encountered in the role, and the professional development needs of both novice and seasoned instructional coaches. Results revealed that the role of an instructional coach is ill-defined, and the role can often be complicated by the lack of a shared definition of the role. Data also revealed that a lack of time allocated for carrying out duties assigned to instructional coaches along with the lack of experience and understanding of the role serve as significant barriers encountered by coaches. …

Coaching For Change: Teacher Perceptions Of The Impact Of Personalized, Reflective Professional Development, Emily Davis

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

Instructional coaching has become a popular form of professional development in schools. Instructional coaches are often teacher leaders with years of classroom experience but little formal training in working with adult learners. This research examined the experiences of instructional coaches and the supports they perceived were needed for success in a coaching relationship. This research also examined the experiences of the teachers being coached in order to determine teacher perception of coaching as effective professional development. Data analysis explored the themes of objectivity, credibility, listening, and communication within the coaching relationship.

On-Site, Ongoing, And Individualized Professional Development: A Case Study At Rural Charter School, Ashley Funderburke

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

The current model of mass professional development for all teachers does not address the individual needs of each teacher (Berckenmeyer, 2014; Darling-Hammond et al., 2009; DeMonte, 2013). This case study research focused on reaching a deeper understanding of an on-site, ongoing, individualized professional development innovation implemented at Rural Charter School for eight primary teachers as they began to apply a new instructional model; the integration of English-Language Arts standards into the science, social studies, and mathematics. My role within the study fluctuated between that of the researcher, an informant, and a teacher leader in delivering the personalized professional development.

Two …

Nontraditional Community College Students' Motivational Regulation In A Blended Core Technology Course, Jennifer Hart

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is a lack of empirical research on the motivational regulation and reactions of higher education students enrolled in blended courses. Studies that target this focus with nontraditional adult learners enrolled in the community college are even more difficult to locate. In this mixed-methods exploratory case study, I explored in what ways nontraditional adult learners' motivational regulation and their motivational reactions to course design relate to their perceived learning experience in a blended technology course with a flipped design. Specifically, I investigated how nontraditional community college students described their goals for participating in a blended course prior to the start …

Using The Power Of 3 With Total Joint Surgery Patients, Lynda M. Sanchez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of patient education is to provide patients and their families with the tools needed to care for themselves after discharge from the hospital, but shortened hospital stays, limited health literacy, language, and age can impede the patient's comprehension of the information provided. Researchers have found that the lack of effective patient education is related to 30-day hospital readmissions. The Power of 3 educational tool, designed by Sanchez and Cooknell, addressed the factors that impeded effective patient teaching by using the adult learning theory and low health literacy concepts. The Power of 3 was implemented as a quality improvement …

Moving Forward On Common Ground: A Mixed Methods Exploration Of National Standards, Sharon Kay Cogan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

There is extant literature regarding teacher professional development; however, there is limited research in the area of "high-quality" teacher professional development practices which are advocated for at the government and district levels based on Learning Forward's (formerly National Staff Development Council - NSDC) guidelines for school reform.

The intent of this proposed research study is to examine the professional development practices of three elementary schools in a large urban area in the southwest region of the United States, and how well the professional development practices align with Learning Forward's national standards for constructing effective professional development. Administrators and teachers anonymously …