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Evaluation Of 2+2 Alternative Teacher Performance Appraisal Program In Shanxi, People's Republic Of China, Weiping Wang

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Studies

This dissertation examined the effectiveness of the 2+2 Alternative Teacher Performance Appraisal System that has been implemented as one of the educational reform efforts in Shanxi province in China. All 78 teachers in Grade One in the six schools participated in the study. The outcomes investigated in the dissertation included teachers' pedagogical beliefs and attitudes, the teachers' professional performance, teachers' collaboration, and the 2+2 feedback. A mixed research design incorporating both quantitative and qualitative approaches was used to evaluate the program. Data triangulation was achieved through varied data sources including focus group meetings, 2+2 feedback forms, observations, and questionnaires. Six …

Instructional Technology Experiences Of Student Teachers: A Case Study Of Participants In The Stat Internship Program, Lee B. Vartanian

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Studies

The internship experience is an important link between preservice training and inservice teaching. The STAT Internship Program is an alternative internship program that emphasizes the use of instructional technology. A case study of seven participants in the STAT Internship Program was chosen to investigate five research questions. The research questions explored five broad areas: (1) the technology applications interns used, (2) issues that arose from their use of technology, (3) intern attitudes towards technology, (4) the influence of preservice training on intern use of technology, and (5) shared experiences with technology.

The study yielded a full description of the interns' …

The Influence Of Teacher Preparation Programs On Student Achievement And The Use Of Nctm Standards And Principles In Middle School And High School Algebra I Classrooms, Denelle L. Wallace

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Studies

The impact of traditional and alternative teacher preparation programs on student achievement and the instructional delivery methods used in middle school and high school Algebra I classrooms was explored through a mixed method comparative design. The data analysis revealed that alternative teacher preparation programs are a viable avenue to explore in meeting the needs of public schools for providing qualified teachers in mathematics classrooms at the middle school and high school levels. Data from the standardized state test and district level quarterly assessments revealed no significant differences between groups on half of the achievement measures, but there was a significant …

The Nature Of Data Sources That Inform Decision-Making In Reading By Experienced Second-Grade Teachers, Margaret Mary Dinan Davis

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Studies

This qualitative research was designed to describe the nature of data sources that inform decision making in reading by experienced second grade teachers. Data was collected on seven subjects from multiple sources: seven, successive interviews, think alouds using videotaped lessons, classroom observations, and inspection of documents such as grade books, student work samples, report cards, and reading tests. Data analysis was accomplished by transcribing all data into a qualitative data base (Padilla, 1991). Text chunks were tagged and filtered by data source. Categories such as oral language and comparison of data were added as they emerged during analysis. The most …