Education Commons^™

Examination Of The Collaboration Between Career Technical Education And Core Teachers In Linked Learning Pathways, Lucia M. Van Scyoc

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine how teachers in Linked Learning Pathways rate the effectiveness and identify the impact of the collaboration strategies of a shared purpose, interdependent team and focus on results as they are used in the integration of career and technical education and core academic courses. This also included identifying and describing the criteria used by teachers to determine positive impact in identifying positive collaboration strategies.

Methodology. A mixed method research design, consisting of quantitative and qualitative data, was used to conduct this study. Specifically, an explanatory sequential design model starting with …

Once More With Feeling: Elementary Classroom Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Reader’S Theater, Alissa Marie Allen

Selected Honors Theses

Due to the No Child Left Behind policy of 2001, school systems are held to a higher standard with more advanced curricular aims. The resulting intense focus on content leaves little time for extracurricular activities such as the arts. Yet, educators may still include the arts in their classrooms by integrating the arts into curricular content. For example, the use of an arts integrated reader’s theater gives teachers the opportunity to integrate all four strands of the arts and teach oral reading fluency.

This study was guided by the enquiry of how reader’s theater integrates the arts and influences student …

Mindfulness Intervention: Usefulness In Elementary Classrooms In Regards To Transitions And Collaboration, Jessie M. Filkins

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this investigation was to see if mindfulness lessons based on breathing and meditation techniques would be effective with elementary age students in building community and collaborative work skills. This was done in a classroom of 25 students ranging from nine to twelve years old. I used a pre and post survey as well as observational data to determine the relevance of the meditations on community clean up time. The results showed that there was an increase in participation as well as a decrease in the time it took for the children to clean up. There was also …

Middle School Teachers’ Perspectives On Promoting Effective Technology Integration, Yona Andrew Rose

All Theses And Dissertations

Technology integration reforms in education have increased in number and expectation throughout schools across the United States. Some instructors have experienced barriers with skill sets, attitudes, professional development opportunities, and collaboration time which have impacted their ability to model good practices. Pictures of qualified, confident teachers integrating technology into their classrooms with regularity and fidelity are unclear. Existing literature was reviewed regarding methods of increasing teacher comfort and knowledge related to technology integration so that the 21st Century Skills of critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication can be addressed in public schools. This research study explored what middle school teachers …

Motivation And Learning In An Online Collaborative Project Using Gamification, Michele L. Hudiburg

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

In 2012, there were 2.9 million students enrolled in graduate degrees and 22% were taking strictly online courses (Kena et al., 2014). Many students are not motivated to participate in collaborative learning experiences in online courses (Dirkx & Smith, 2004). Gamification, the inclusion of game elements in non-game contexts, has been shown to have a positive impact on motivation (Deterding, 2012; Kapp, 2012). Prior work has focused on structural gamification including elements such as points, levels, and badges as extrinsic motivators to traditional course activities. The current study explored content gamification including narrative, role-play, interactivity, and feedback in an online …

A Case Study Of A Professional Development School In Rural West Virginia, Cheryl Ann Terry Jeffers

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The focus of this qualitative research study is the Professional Development School (PDS) partnership between a university and an elementary school in Central Appalachia. Data were collected through participant observation, individual and focus group interviews, and document analysis. The research focused on the participants’ experiences and perceptions of the Professional Development School and any enabling and/or constraining factors related to its effectiveness. Participants included school-based individuals ─ students, teachers, and administrators of Dolen Elementary (pseudonym) ─ as well as university-based participants. The most significant finding was a genuine willingness to learn that was exhibited by participants, both school-based and those …

The Effects Of A Collaborative Team On Early Intervention In A Preschool, Tiffany L. James

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

Abstract The purpose of this project was to see what effects collaboration had on early intervention in a preschool. Fourteen guides at a Montessori preschool in Texas were asked to complete a beginning survey, attend weekly collaborative meetings for seven weeks, attend a focus group and complete an ending survey. Data showed that collaboration helped the teachers feel more valued and supported when helping all kinds of different learners. For the purpose of this study, different learners included children with behavioral concerns, learning disabilities and support needs. Interventions ranged from activities or exercises for individual children to lessons given to …

T He Effects Of Loose Parts And Nature-Based Play On Creativity In The Montessori Early Childhood (3-6 Year Old) Classroom, Leah C. Yavuz

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this research was to determine if the addition of natural loose parts, or manipulatives, to the outdoor play yard would increase creativity in the classroom. This study took place in a private Montessori school with 14 children ages 3 to 6 years old over a five-week period. Various methods were used to gather information to determine any change in creativity. Observations of creative behaviors, concentration (state of flow), and spontaneous collaboration were collected as well as drawing tests for creative thinking, and samples of creative writing and artwork. The results of the study found that the loose …

Journeys Towards Expertise In Technology-Supported Teaching, Lorraine H. Kershaw

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Expertise in technology-supported teaching needs to be understood from multi-dimensional perspectives and influences, if raising teacher quality is a desired goal of education services. This study aimed to uncover the interactive influences of teachers' pedagogical practices, learning experiences and personal characteristics and how their decisions impacted upon their growth in expert technology-supported teaching. A mixed methods approach incorporated case study techniques, use of quantitative and qualitative data and was informed by grounded theory. Five female primary teachers participated in this research which was conducted during one year over two data collection stages in a technology-supportive independent Australian girls' school.

Variations …