Education Commons^™

Writing Focused Professional Development For Content-Area Teachers: The Effects Of Writing Instruction On Content-Area Student Achievement, Amanda Edwards Whatley

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of writing on the content areas when coupled with ongoing professional development and support for content-area teachers. Research shows that writing is an essential skill for success in and beyond the school setting. Research further indicates that writing plays an important role in student learning through its development of cognitive processes; however, in general, writing as a mode of learning is not a focus of either pre or in-service teacher training. As such, writing beyond note-taking and fill-in-the-blank activities is not necessarily a strategy utilized in content-area teacher classrooms. This …

Passion For Teaching: Self-Efficacy Of Elementary Special Education Teachers Who Have Persisted In The Special Education Teaching Field For At Least 5 Years., Lisa Diane Stewart

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenology study was to gather perceptions of elementary general curriculum special education teachers who have persisted in the special education teaching profession past the 5-year mark. Based on Bandura’s (1977) Social Cognitive Concept of Self-Efficacy Theory, this study sought to understand self-efficacy in elementary general curriculum special education teachers who have remained in special education for at least 5 years. Lived experiences of nine elementary general curriculum special education teachers were gathered through three in-depth interviews. Follow-up interviews provided rich, thick description and member checking was utilized to triangulate the data.

First-Year Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Readiness For The Classroom, Kathryn Elizabeth Pritchard

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study addresses the impact of teacher preparation programs on novice teachers’ perceived readiness for the classroom. An explanatory sequential mixed-method, three-phase design was used involving two collections of quantitative data and a focus group convened to explore themes that emerged from quantitative data. Data collected suggest whether the type of teacher preparation program completed by a preservice teacher impacts a novice teacher’s perceived sense of readiness for teaching. Butin (2010) discussed “translating research into effective practice has been the weak link” (p. 4) in research studies. Studying a potential connection between teacher sense of readiness for the classroom and …

How Does A Teacher's Level Of Knowledge Of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Impact A Teacher's Efficacy In Student Engagement, Instructional Practices, And Classroom Management, Pamela Humphries Merritt

Education Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study examined how a teacher’s level of knowledge of ADHD impacted a teacher’s self-efficacy in student engagement, instructional strategies, and classroom management. One hundred and twenty-three teachers participated in the study. They were asked to complete surveys and vignettes to assess their ADHD knowledge and their self-efficacy. Each efficacy subscale was calculated to determine if there was a correlation between teacher knowledge of ADHD and a teacher’s sense of efficacy. The Knowledge of Attention Deficit Disorder Scale (KADDS) was used to assess teacher knowledge. KADDS consisted of three subscales with the first subscale being general knowledge. Teachers answered …

The Impact Of Literacy Coaching On Teacher Efficacy When Employing A Balanced Literacy Framework, Wanda Faye Frederick

Education Dissertations and Projects

The primary goal of literacy coaching is to improve student learning. Meeting this goal requires an understanding of, and attention to, research on effective district, school, and teacher practices including a guaranteed and viable curriculum and challenging goals and effective feedback (Marzano, 2003). Research has shown that the impact of literacy coaching has increased teacher efficacy in the teaching of reading. This dissertation employed a mixed-methods study to determine the impact of literacy coaching on teacher efficacy when employing a balanced literacy framework. The participants were Grades 3–5 English/language arts (ELA) teachers from five Title 1 elementary schools within the …

Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions Of Instructional Coaching, Factored By Experience And Levels Of Education, Tina Hicks Whitten

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate elementary teachers’ perceptions of instructional coaching compared to their years of experience and their levels of education. This researcher worked cooperatively with one rural school district in north, central North Carolina and used an online survey instrument with both open- and closed-ended questions to gather data. Two hundred sixty-three elementary classroom teachers were asked to complete the survey; 131 teachers did so with a response rate of 49.8%. Chi square statistical tests were run for the Likert responses on the quantitative portion, and open-ended coding was used for the qualitative piece. …

The Feasibility Of Implementing Early College Instructional Strategies And Design Principles In Traditional High Schools As A Reform Model, Shelia Smith Wyont

Education Dissertations and Projects

Early college high schools were developed as a partnership between school districts and colleges to provide students an opportunity to earn a high school diploma concurrently with an associate’s degree or transferable college credit at little or no cost. In 2011, North Carolina New Schools implemented the Rural Innovative Initiative with the purpose of expanding college readiness and reducing dropouts by applying early college design principles and strategies into 18 existing traditional high schools in low-wealth districts. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of implementation of early college principles and strategies into traditional high schools. The …

What Do Parents Really Want? Parent Perspectives On Gifted Education, Ryan Mccreary

Education Dissertations and Projects

In this research study, the correlation between the strategies that previous research had indicated as effective for gifted education and the programming sought by parents of gifted children was examined. Survey results and interviews with parents revealed several strategies that parents wanted to be implemented in gifted education as well as powerful practices that would enhance gifted education if implemented by school leaders. The problem of underachievement among gifted students is also discussed as well as strategies to reverse it.

A Mixed-Method Study Of One-To-One Mobile Technology Implementation In Math In A Rural Middle School, Maxie Nathan Deaton Jr

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine the extent of one-to-one mobile technology implementation on student math achievement as measured by standardized test scores. A second focus was on the extent one-to-one mobile technology implementation has influenced teacher practices in math instruction. A final focus was on the extent that teacher lesson plans support or fail to support technology implementation. The setting for the study was a small rural middle school in the Upstate of South Carolina. The participants consisted of males and females from several ethnicities and socioeconomic classes. A parallel/simultaneous method was used for the study. …

The Impact Of Board Certified Teachers On Student Achievement, Cassandra Yellock Dobson

Education Dissertations and Projects

This research study explored the relationship that exists between National Board certified teachers (NBCTs) and the reading achievement of students in third through fifth grade in comparison to non-NBCTs as measured by EVAAS growth data. Additional research questions analyzed which elements contained in the five core propositions participants perceive to be the most effective in contributing to student achievement in comparing perceptions of NBCTs and non-NBCTs. In contrast to data in other studies reviewed for this research, the results of this study signify that there is no significant difference in reading growth between students who are taught by NBCTs and …

An Examination Of Kindergarten Readiness Perceptions From Prekindergarten Teachers, Kindergarten Teachers, And Parents: A Quantitative Study Of Kindergarten Readiness Perceptions, Angela Cross

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the perceptions of kindergarten readiness for kindergarten teachers, public prekindergarten teachers in both public and private settings, and parents. Data were collected and analyzed through a quantitative method using an inferential approach. A Likert-style survey was distributed to current kindergarten teachers, prekindergarten teachers, and parents; and the data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The data collected from the surveys indicated differences in kindergarten readiness perceptions in the areas of social/emotional skills, literacy skills, and communication between kindergarten parents and teachers and between public and private prekindergarten participants. There were also differences in …

Middle School Teacher Perspectives Of Ldc In A Rural Southeastern North Carolina School District, Adrain Shavonne Batten

Education Dissertations and Projects

The mixed-method phenomenological study surveyed middle school teacher perceptions of the Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC). The study population consisted of 16 sixth through eighth grade English language arts, science, or social studies teachers. The data for this study were analyzed from the 2011-2012 school year until the 2015-2016 year. The researcher utilized Stufflebeam’s (2003) context, input, process, product (CIPP) model to create the research questions. The following research questions guided the study: (1) To what extent does the LDC model influence middle school teacher decisions in the type of the instructional strategies they choose to use in their classrooms; (2) …

A Framework For Improving Teacher Efficacy In High-Poverty Schools, Shelia D. Burnette

Education Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative research study examined the change of teachers’ levels of poverty awareness and their sense of efficacy after being exposed to targeted research-based strategies and resources. The focus was on building leadership capacity; fostering safe, healthy learning environments; and focusing on students, professionals, and systems of learning to address turning high-poverty schools to high-performing schools. Eight high-poverty urban schools participated in the study with five focus schools analyzed throughout the study (sample=XX). Study participants completed pre- and post-assessment measures of poverty awareness and their sense of efficacy to impact achievement for high-poverty students. Participants were given access to resources, …

The Impact Of Instructional Coaching On The Self-Efficacy Of Beginning Teachers In The Facilitation Of Student Learning, Shannon White

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine the impact of instructional coaching on the self-efficacy of beginning teachers in the facilitation of student learning. Beginning teachers are still learning their craft when they enter the teaching profession. Research indicates that schools are losing beginning teachers before they have adequately developed their abilities. Many systems are providing support to beginning teachers through mentoring and instructional coaching. It is essential that schools support beginning teachers as they hone their abilities to facilitate learning in their classrooms. To best meet the needs of beginning teachers, an understanding of best practices for coaching needs to …

Investigation Of Teacher Perceptions Of Gifted Education: How Teacher Perceptions Influence The Use Of Specific Research-Based Teaching Strategies Tailored To Challenge Learning In Ag Students, Ian Robert Olsen

Education Dissertations and Projects

The research study examined teacher perceptions of gifted instruction. It focused on teacher perceptions of the needs of gifted students; teacher confidence in adapting instruction to meet the needs; and teacher perceptions of which research-based instructional strategies are best implemented. The purpose of this study was to determine if AG teacher perceptions of instructional strategies influence the implementation of them. This study combined literature research, survey data, and interview data all shedding light on the need to improve academic instruction for all AG students (Bangel, Moon, & Capobianco, 2010; Manning, 2006; McKinsey & Co., 2009). The research and data demonstrated …

A Comprehensive Evaluation Of The Teacher’S College Reading And Writing Project Balanced Literacy Instructional Framework And The Reading Proficiency Of Economically Disadvantaged Students, Latonya Elise Gaines-Montgomery

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the Teacher’s College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP) and its impact on the reading achievement of economically disadvantaged students. TCRWP was implemented at two high poverty schools (over 80% economically disadvantaged students) in southeastern North Carolina. Stufflebeam’s (2003) revised CIPP evaluation model was used to evaluate the program along with a convergent mixed-methods design. The data analysis revealed that TCRWP as well as the schools’ strategic plans were aligned to the schools’ assessed needs. Additionally, the analysis showed that implementation of TCRWP aligned to the schools’ initial implementation designs. The …

A Case Study On The Comparison Of Fourth-Grade Students’ Mathematics Achievement As Evidenced By The Measures Of Academic Progress Assessment: Self-Contained Vs. Departmentalized Settings, Adam David Dymond

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine whether fourth-grade students who received instruction in a self-contained setting were more likely to meet their target score on the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test than students who were taught in a departmentalized setting. Fourth-grade students in ALPHA School District took the MAP test in the fall and spring of the academic calendar year. Target scores were originated by the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA). These target scores showed the typical growth for a student in the particular grade level as calculated by national norms. The MAP test growth norms were very precise. Due …

A Correlational Study Of Teacher Efficacy And Culturally Responsive Teaching Techniques In A Southeastern Urban School District, Roberta F. Callaway

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated the level of personal and general teacher efficacy of teachers from three high schools within a southeastern urban school district. Additional research questions focused on correlational relationships between teacher efficacy and culturally responsive teaching, instructional strategies, student engagement, and classroom management as measured by the Teacher Efficacy Scale (TES), Culturally Responsive Teaching Techniques (CRTT) Scale, and Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES).

This study was conducted in a large urban school district located in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States; three of the five high schools in the district participated. The CRTT Scale and TSES were …

Examining Corrective Instruction With The Balanced Literacy Framework And Middle School Students’ Academic Achievement In Reading, Reynelda Marie Babb-Brown

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects on reaching achievement for middle school students using Test one and Test three of the Discovery Education™ assessments. Students took the pretest and participated in corrective instruction and interventions. After interventions, students took Test three. A quantitative research design was used to examine data collected from 116 students from three southeastern state public schools from the school years of 2014-2015 and 2015-2016.

This research study explored teachers’ perceptions of time using the 2014 North Carolina Working Conditions Survey time construct from the three public schools. An additional research question addressed …

A Case Study Of Arts Integration Practices In Developing The 21st Century Skills Of Critical Thinking, Creativity, Communication, And Collaboration, Cari A. Maneen

Education Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative, single case study explored teacher perceptions of arts integration practices in developing critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration (4 C’s) at a North Carolina A+ (arts-integrated) kindergarten through eighth grade charter school. A combination of interviews, document analysis, and site observations were utilized to answer the guiding question: What is the impact of a school-wide arts integration program on creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication? The research focused on three questions: (RQ1) What strategies/methods are used to implement a school-wide arts integration program at this school? (RQ2) What strategies/methods are used to foster student acquisition of the 4 …

A Case Study Of The Impact Of Reading Intervention In Early Elementary School Grade Levels, Bonnie S. Smith

Education Dissertations and Projects

This case study examined the impact of small class size using small group instruction with ability grouping for early literacy intervention. In this study, data were analyzed to determine the impact small class size, paired with small group instruction for intervention, had on students in terms of attaining grade-level proficiency standards. DIBELS data and facilitator interviews were analyzed from first and second grade intervention and traditional classes to determine the effectiveness of small class size and ability grouping for students to achieve grade-level proficiency in literacy. Results show that using direct instruction in small groups with Title I inclusion helped …

Across The Great Divide: The Effects Of Technology In Secondary Biology Classrooms, Johnny Howard Worley

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study investigates the relationship between technology use and student achievement in public high school across North Carolina. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a digital divide (differences in technology utilization based on student demographics of race/ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and municipality) exists among schools and whether those differences relate to student achievement in high school biology classrooms. The study uses North Carolina end-of-course (EOC) data for biology to analyze student demographic data and assessment results from the 2010-2011 school year from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. The data analyses use descriptive and factorial univariate …

Technology Self-Efficacy Beliefs Of Ninth-Grade Students After One Year Of One-To-One Initiative Implementation, Adrianne Nicole Mcgee

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to gather data regarding the self-efficacy beliefs of ninth graders after experiencing the one-to-one technology initiative for 1 school year. The goal was to obtain information based on the experiences of the students in order to enlighten leaders of other schools and districts when implementing their own technology initiatives. Students, teachers, and administrators were all surveyed regarding the initiative and perceived experience. A focus group of eight students was conducted in order to gather more data regarding the answers to the survey questions. After focus group data were interpreted, three student interviews were held to gather …

The Impact Of Instructional Rounds Professional Development On Teacher Self-Efficacy, Melessa B. Widener

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of instructional rounds professional development on teacher self-efficacy. The scope of this study was a qualitative case study including interviews with teachers who had participated in instructional rounds professional development in a rural district in the foothills of North Carolina. The methodology included interviews with two teacher leaders from all elementary schools implementing Responsiveness to Instruction (RtI) and teachers at the Early College who participated in instructional rounds professional learning through the New Schools Project. The findings include teachers' quotes from the transcriptions of the interviews as supporting the research …

Project-Based Learning In A Stem Academy: Student Engagement And Interest In Stem Careers, Pamela Henry Misher

Education Dissertations and Projects

This case study explored the utilization of project-based learning (PBL) and how it affected student engagement and interest in STEM careers. Sixty-seven students and nine teachers participated in this case study. Three research questions addressed student engagement, perceptions, and challenges during PBL implementation.

This study was designed to understand the experiences teachers and students had when they participated in a PBL environment. This research investigated how to develop a globally skilled workforce utilizing a PBL approach and the challenges teachers encountered during implementation. The survey data and informal focus-group sessions with staff and students were utilized, analyzed, and summarized in …

A Program Evaluation Of A Christian College Baccalaureate Program Utilizing Stufflebeam's Cipp Model, Victoria F. Hanchell

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was a program evaluation of an undergraduate program of study at a Christian institution of higher education. The college had not received a formal evaluation since the institution of their strategic planning in 2008. The program evaluation of this baccalaureate program was reviewed through the lens of the CIPP Evaluation Model (Stufflebeam, 2002). Through the CIPP Evaluation Model, the Context (C), Inputs (I), Processes (P), and Product (P) of this institution were evaluated.

Four research questions were developed to coincide with the four thematic areas of CIPP model. The four research questions were (1) Context: How were the …

The Impact Of The One-To-One Laptop Initiative On Teacher Perceptions Of Instructional Delivery And Student Engagement In Middle School Mathematics, La'ronda Long Whiteside

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the impact of the one-to-one laptop initiative on teacher perceptions of instructional delivery and student engagement in middle school mathematics. Teacher perceptions of the initiative vary. Several school districts in North Carolina have implemented the initiative and are examining the impact it has on teaching and learning. The one-to-one initiative has been an essential paradigm shift for several national and international schools. The learning environment of the one-to-one initiative immerses students in a curriculum that integrates technology in all subject areas.

Have 21st Century Skills Made Their Way To The University Classroom? A Study To Examine The Extent To Which 21st Century Skills Are Being Incorporated Into The Academic Programs At A Small, Private, Church-Related University, Christopher Scott Boe

Education Dissertations and Projects

With the increased expectation of college or university attendance as a prerequisite for workforce entry, the criticism of business leaders and the general public, and the increasing cost of postsecondary education, it becomes critical for institutions of higher education to know what they are offering students and how well those offerings are being presented. Meaningful, engaged learning that prepares students for life and the ever-changing world of work is what these consumers are seeking. It becomes, then, the responsibility of the institution of higher education to evaluate its programs to determine what it is actually providing students in terms of …

Effects Of An Inverted Instructional Delivery Model On Achievement Of Ninth-Grade Physical Science Honors Students, Donna Howell

Education Dissertations and Projects

This mixed-methods action research study was designed to assess the achievement of ninth-grade Physical Science Honors students by analysis of pre and posttest data. In addition, perceptual data from students, parents, and the researcher were collected to form a complete picture of the flipped lecture format versus the traditional lecture format.

The researcher utilized a 4MAT learning cycle in two Physical Science Honors classes. One of these classes was traditionally delivered with lecture-type activities taking place inside the classroom and homework-type activities taking place at home; the other inverted, or flipped, delivered with lecture-type activities taking place outside the classroom …

Attitudes And Beliefs Of Upper Elementary Teachers Regarding The Teaching Of Cursive Handwriting, Dorothy Myers

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study surveyed current third-, fourth- and fifth-grade teachers in two small school districts in the southeast. One school district has initiated a technology initiative in its elementary schools. The other school district involved in the study incorporates technology but does not have a specified technology initiative. This dissertation was designed to provide information about the attitudes and beliefs of current third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade teachers about the necessity of teaching cursive handwriting. Many schools today either no longer teach cursive handwriting or do not spend the amount of time teaching cursive handwriting as in years past. With the age …