Education Commons^™

Legitimate Peripheral Participation Of Secondary Educators In Scientific Research Experiences: Implications For Teachers' Understanding Of The Nature Of Science And Classroom Teaching, Matthew Phillip Perkins

Doctoral Dissertations

Both of the national reform efforts (AAAS, 1993; NRC, 1996) encouraged teachers to engage in professional development that included authentic scientific research experiences. The Department of Energy developed a program to match teachers with mentor scientists at national laboratories for three consecutive summers. Teachers produced and presented a poster summarizing their research at the conclusion of each summer.

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to better understand how scientific research experiences impacted teachers. Six dimensions were examined: trajectory of participation, content knowledge development, mentor relationships, beliefs about the nature of science, teacher confidence, and classroom practice. These …

A Kindergarten For The 21st Century, Nebraska Department Of Education, Westside Community Schools, Umo N Ho N Nation Public Schools, Lexington Public Schools, Omaha Public Schools, Head Start-State Collaboration Office, Marjorie Kostelnik, M. Susan Mcwilliams, Lincoln Public Schools, Gordon-Rushville Public Schools, Red Cloud, Northeast Professional Development Partnership, Nebraska State Board Of Education, District 5, Beatrice Public Schools, Platte Valley Professional Development Partnership

Faculty Books and Monographs

Called to action by parents, teachers, administrators, and other early childhood professionals in Nebraska, the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE), Office of Early Childhood began the process of revising the Kindergarten Position Statement in 2007. NDE’s previous Kindergarten Position Statement was written in 1984 and was a landmark document in the world of kindergarten, not only in Nebraska, but nationwide. The revision of this statement reinforces the expectation of providing high quality experiences for all children to help them reach their full potential, regardless of individual circumstances. The intent of this document is to provide a summary of information about …

Critical Conversations: Tensions And Opportunities Of The Dialogical Classroom, B. Fecho, N. D. Collier, E. E. G. Friese, Amy Wilson-Lopez

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

English teachers and educators of English teachers should work within rather than against the tensions present in their classrooms. For us, nothing could be more key. Until university teacher educators construct and enact classrooms that embrace the dialogical tensions and possibilities within those settings, new and veteran teachers in the profession will have few if any sustained experiences upon which to base their own dialogical classrooms. Moreover, to either deny that tensions exist or to struggle to eradicate them is to misunderstand the purpose and possibility of tension. Learners caught between stabilizing and destabilizing tensions enter a state of wobble, …

A Closer Look At One Elementary School's Use Of Informational Text In Classroom Instruction, Marjean Sorensen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research study was to explore the use of informational text in kindergarten through sixth grade classrooms in one elementary school. The research was based on analyzing responses given by teachers on a self-report survey; which addressed various aspects of their use of informational texts. The survey included questions about the sources teachers used to find informational texts, the criteria used in selection of such texts, and the frequency and purposes for informational text use. These data were then compared according to teachers' years of teaching experience and grade level taught to see the influence of …

Assessment Practices: Student’S And Teachers’ Perceptions Of Classroom Assessment, Sayed Ahmad Javid Mussawy

Master's Capstone Projects

The primary aim of this study is to explore pre-service teachers’ perceptions of classroom assessment. A secondary purpose is to explore the faculty members’ perceptions of classroom assessment and their expectations of students’ learning. This study examines what assessment approaches are being used in Baghlan Higher Education Institution, School of Education. In addition, the investigator was interested in learning the extent to which assessment results were used to improve students’ learning and classroom instruction.

Prospects And Challenges: Teaching An Introductory Course On International Education In U.S. Classroom, Manaslu Gurung

Master's Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research is to explore the experiences of teaching an introductory course on International Education in a US classroom. The study focuses on some of the leading challenges of discussing links between international education and international development from a variety of global perspectives, particularly the Third World perspective. The underlying goal of this reflective research is to address the importance of International Education is today’s world where education continues to be political and where what we see, understand, and value in the First World impacts the Third World more directly and severely than ever before. Free Market …

Standing My Ground: Reflections Of A Queer Indian Immigrant Professor In The U.S. Classroom, Umeeta Sadarangani

English Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Missing In Action: Research On The Accountability Of Multicultural, Inclusive Teacher Education, Sheryl V. Taylor, Donna M. Sobel

Essays in Education

While a substantial amount of research has been conducted on the effects of various teacher education programs to prepare teachers for multicultural, multilingual, inclusive classrooms, very little of it examines the impact of multicultural, inclusive teacher education on how pre- and inservice teachers actually teach children in the classroom. Few researchers have followed teachers into the classroom to find out if or what “carry over” exists from multicultural teacher education (Sleeter, 2001). Even if teachers show growth through their course work and learning experiences in multicultural education, what evidence is there that they are or are becoming strong teachers in …

The University Of Nebraska At Omaha Center For Space Data Use In Teaching And Learning, Neal Grandgenett, Uno Aviation Institute

Faculty Books and Monographs

UNOAI Report 2000-4

Within the context of innovative coursework and other educational activities, we are proposing the establishment of a University of Nebraska at Omaha Center for the Use of Space Data in Teaching and Learning. This Center will provide an exciting and motivating process for educators at all levels to become involved in professional development and training which engages real life applications of mathematics, science, and technology. The Center will facilitate innovative courses (including online and distance education formats), systematic degree programs, classroom research initiatives, new instructional methods and tools, engaging curriculum materials, and various symposiums. It will involve …

Using Web Pages To Teach Mathematical Modeling: Some Ideas And Suggestions, Elliott Ostler, Neal Grandgenett

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Mathematical modeling can perhaps be best defined as “the process of scientific inquiry” for mathematics. This is obviously a comfortable mode for teachers of science, but is rarely seen in the mathematics classrooms of today. This paper explores the possibilities of using interactive web pages to help facilitate an understanding of practical applications based mathematics. Because the scientific process is emphasized as the general operating framework, situations where students can hypothesize and experiment, and create data tables are most valuable. Special emphasis is placed on the fact that students and teachers both need to re-conceptualize effective mathematics instruction in order …

Mathematical Modeling Within A Technology Based Learning Environment: Some Principles For Adaptive Instruction, Neal Grandgenett, Elliott Ostler, Arthur I. Zygielbaum, Scott Henninger, Char Hazzard

Teacher Education Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

This paper describes a set of research based instructional plans being developed by a multidisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Nebraska within a National Science Foundation Proof-of-Concept Grant. The project is seeking to establish a prototype effort for teaching mathematical modeling within a technology based learning environment, which includes components of adaptive instruction for the student. Seven curriculum based design principles for the adaptive instruction that are being followed in the development of the project are described in the paper as they relate to research on effective mathematics instruction, and in particular the enhancement of mathematical modeling activities.

Perspectives On The Use Of Internet In Art Classrooms, Donalyn Heise, Neal Grandgenett

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

With the emergence of Internet technology, students have the opportunity to develop skills necessary to live, work and play in the 21st century. More than ever before, students will need to be competent in accessing and managing information from a variety of sources. The Internet allows students to engage in global communication, as well as access the most current information available. For art education, the Internet also provides a real opportunity to blend multicultural, multi-age, gender-inclusive educational reform into the art curriculum by incorporating visual resources and contextual information from many different cultures.

The Potential For Critical Social Inquiry Through Environmental Education In The Philippines, Ken Byrne

Master's Capstone Projects

The rate and extent of deforestation in the Philippines is phenomenal. It has been estimated that in 1934, 17 million hectares of the Philippines' 30 million hectares were covered in forest (Asian Development Bank, pp. 13-14.) This figure had dropped to 10.5 million by 1969, and by 1993 it stood at 5.7 million. If one looks at old growth forests, where there is the greatest diversity of animal, plant, and insect life, then the figures are even more stark: In 1934, there were 11 million hectares of old growth forest; in 1969, 4.7 million; and by 1993, the figure had …

A Comparison Of Teacher Creativity And Organized Demeanor As Measured By The Tuckman Teacher Feedback Form, Deborah Joanne Karas

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this study was to make a comparison of personality variables between four essential dimensions of classroom climate. Creativity, Dynamism, Organized Demeanor, and Warmth and Acceptance were examined, with specific attention given to the relationship between Creativity and Organized Demeanor. The Tuckman Teacher Feedback Form, an instrument designed to measure these variables, was selected and implemented in this study. One hundred and eighteen teachers teaching in grade level positions that ranged from Kindergarten through the twelfth grade, were administered the Tuckman instrument during their annual evaluation period by their building administrators. After computing and comparing mean percentages, it …