Education Commons^™

Educators' Attitudes Toward Outdoor Classrooms And The Cognitive Benefits In Children, Carlie Speedlin

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

A case study was organized at a K-5 elementary school in Lincoln, Nebraksa. This school is Saratoga Elementary School and is a United States Title I Distinguished School1 under No Child Left Behind. It has a population of 266 students, with 47% being minority, 1% gifted, and 28% special education (LPS School Profile Brochure). 80% of the student population is eligible for free/reduced meals, implying that it’s a school with a lower socioeconomic status. At this school a garden space was constructed and an after school garden club was implemented for this case study. The club had been running since …

Motivation For Vocabulary Learning Of College Students, Qizhen Deng

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study is to construct and validate an instrument to measure motivation for vocabulary learning, opening the door to more studies on motivation for vocabulary learning in reading and listening. In the new 34-item questionnaire: Motivation for Vocabulary Learning Questionnaire (MVLQ), eleven subscales were examined within two motivational constructs, namely, self-efficacy and attitude. Participants in this study were 121traditional undergraduate students from a Midwestern research university. Students responded to two self-report questionnaires: the Motivation for Vocabulary Learning Questionnaire (MVLQ), and the Motivation for Reading Questionnaire (MRQ) (Wigfield & Guthrie,1997). The results suggested that MVLQ had good reliability …

The Impact Of Content Courses On Pre-Service Elementary Teachers’ Mathematical Content Knowledge, Michael Matthews, Janice Rech, Neal Grandgenett

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

In response to research documenting the mathematical deficiencies of pre-service elementary teachers, many teacher preparation programs are requiring mathematical content courses specifically focusing on the mathematics taught at the elementary level. This study considers what impact two such courses (one course focusing on Arithmetic, and the other course focusing on Geometry and Measurement) had on the mathematical content knowledge and attitude towards mathematics by comparing a group of pre-service elementary teachers who took these courses to a group of pre-service elementary teachers who took only a more general mathematics course (such as College Algebra). Results indicated that those teachers who …

Developmental Bibliotherapy In Practice: A Study Of Bibliotherapy Effects On Kindergarten Behavior, Courtney Hawley

Graduate Theses

Bibliotherapy is the use of books and other print media for the purpose of instructing the audience about a certain topic. Developmental bibliotherapy is a form of bibliotherapy in which a teacher or other facilitator presents a book to a group in order to help instruct a desired behavior. This study was conducted to determine the effects of developmental bibliotherapy instruction over the course of a six weeks time period in the Kindergarten classroom. I wanted to determine the effectiveness of the bibliotherapy program as it related to teaching problem solving behaviors for a small group of students. The students …

“You Can Pick Really Good Literature That Will Lead Them There”: Investigating The Instructional Roles Teachers Utilize When Conducting Literature Discussions, Sophie M. Ladd

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this multi-case study was to investigate the instructional roles teachers utilize in whole group and small group discussion. This study highlights the questioning and response strategies two elementary teachers used during read alouds and literature discussions. Data sources included whole group and small group discussions, interviews, teachers' reflection journals, classroom observations, researcher field notes, and Informal correspondence. Data were analyzed using Merriam's (1998) analytic framework for case study. A within-case analysis was conducted for each case, followed by a cross-case analysis. Through with-in case analysis questioning and response categories were developed. These categories included: appealing, prompting, examination, …

Utah Kindergarten Teachers' Challenges And Concerns About Teaching Kindergarten, Ruth Jane Liebschutz Moore

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This qualitative study was an exploration of 55 Utah kindergarten teachers' perceptions of challenges in teaching. It investigated written concerns teachers expressed in a statewide survey of kindergarten teachers. Study findings indicated that two main issues were communicated by teachers: a disparity between their developmentally appropriate beliefs and practices in the classroom, and concerns about children's kindergarten readiness and transition to school. About 56% of teachers felt a struggle in implementing their developmentally appropriate beliefs about education, for a variety of reasons: large class sizes, district and state mandates, and lack of resources, particularly time. Furthermore, 53% of educators conveyed …

Facilitator Assessment Following A Stepfamily Education Course, Heather Sparks

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to evaluate effectiveness of the facilitators of a stepfamily education course, based upon facilitator self-report as well as participant report. Agencies in northern Utah that provide services to low-income minority families were used to recruit a sample of 152 facilitators and 1,134 participants of which 519 of the participants were male and 613 of the participants were females. Additionally, 21 of the facilitators were male and 131 of the facilitators were female. Requirements for participants included having been previously married with no children or having children from a previous relationship that formed a current …

Using An Audience Response System (Ars) A.K.A. “Clicker” To Do Attention Research, Roger A. Kendrick

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study makes an effort to examine whether a student’s attention or engagement is increased by possession of an Audience Response System (ARS, or clicker). This experiment tested a difference in performance. This study makes an effort to examine whether a student’s attention or engagement is increased by possession of an Audience Response System (ARS, or clicker). This experiment tested a difference in performance between students who possessed an ARS and those who did not. The experiment was conducted at a small state college in the Midwest where small class size is typical. Approximately half the students in each tested …

A Study Of The Impact Of A K-12 School District–University Doctoral Cohort On District Leadership Capacity, Sharon Davis

Dissertations

The phenomenological study examined how a K-12 school district–university partnership impacted a school district’s leadership from the perspectives of cohort members and non-cohort members. The doctoral cohort consisted of 22 candidates. The intent of the program was to merge theory with best practice and to focus on increasing the district’s leadership capacity. The study involved a purposeful sample of 10 participants that included 5 teachers who participated in the doctoral educational cohort and 5 teachers who were not members of the cohort. Data were collected through interviews.

This doctoral cohort was modeled on learning theory that addressed the needs of …

An Examination Of The Leadership Practices Of Effective Rural Superintendents: A Multiple Case Study, Mark Forner

Dissertations

This research examined the leadership practices of rural superintendents who have led their districts to significant improvement in student academic achievement. The overall research goal was to examine how Waters' and Marzano's six correlates of effective superintendent leadership practice have been applied by school leaders who have successfully pursued academic reform in their rural school districts. A multiple case study approach was used to examine the work practices of seven superintendents leading rural school districts in Michigan where student academic performance was on the rise.

A criterion-based selection methodology was used to identify the superintendent subjects and their districts. A …

Environmental And Developmental Indicators In Early Childhood: Relations To Second-Grade Reading Comprehension, Gina A. Cook

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Reading success has been linked to high school completion, future job success, and future generations of children who can read. Unfortunately, children who are unable to read on grade level by the end of first grade are at a great disadvantage and unlikely to catch up later. Without the ability to read and comprehend text, all aspects of schooling become progressively more difficult and the challenge of poor reading ability can be so difficult to overcome that many poor readers will not complete high school. For these reasons, it is important to identify early experiences in a child's family environment …

Mother-Child Attachment And Preschool Behavior Problems In Children With Developmental Delays, Mary S. Lamont

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Secure mother-child attachment has been found to be an important factor in the healthy emotional development of children and has been shown to have effects on child, adolescent, and adult behavior. Previous research has primarily focused on attachment in children who are typically developing. However, little research has been conducted in populations of children with developmental delays. The research thus far has suggested that medical situations, child disabilities and maternal emotions may affect interaction patterns between the mother and the child which may in turn influence the security of the mother-child attachment in children with developmental delays. This study contributes …

A Pilot Study Examining High School Physical Education Teachers' Understanding And Use Of Mosston's Style(S) Of Teaching, Greg L. Pierce

Master's Theses

The purpose of this project was to develop a questionnaire that could lend insight to physical educations teachers’ perceptions and use of Mosston's Teaching Styles. The researcher designed a pilot study in which he distributed the questionnaire to six teachers from three Santa Barbara District High Schools. Results show that the six teachers were familiar with all Mosston’s Styles. However, citing circumstances such as class time and class sizes, the participants in this study did not use all of Mosston’s Styles. These results may be useful for physical education teacher educators to help them understand teachers’ knowledge of Mosston’s Styles, …

Learning Design At The University Of Wollongong, S. R. Lambert

Sarah Lambert

This paper describes the work done by the author to develop and document a Learning Design process at CEDIR, a centrally funded and located educational development support unit at the University of Wollongong. CEDIR works with educational technology as an intrinsic part of educational design. The Learning Design unit was set up in January 2002 with the aim of ensuring sound pedagogical design of CEDIR educational products and to maximise staff development opportunities during their development The new service processes and tools developed to facilitate these aims have been further refined and evaluated in 2003. This paper reports on the …

Challenges And Strategies Of Mobile Advertising In India, Ratnesh Dwivedi Mr

Ratnesh Dwivedi

Advertising is paid communication through a medium in which the sponsor is identified and the message is controlled. Every major medium is used to deliver these messages, including: television, radio, movies, magazines, newspapers, the Internet and today’s growing mobile advertising. Advertisements can also be seen on the seats of grocery carts, on the walls of an airport walkway, on the sides of buses, heard in telephone hold messages and instore PA systems but get paid for reading SMS on our mobile phones .It is the new way of marketing strategy for reaching subscribers. Mobile advertising is the business of encouraging …

Changing Mutual Perception Of Television News Viewers And Program Makers In India- A Case Study Of Cnn-Ibn And Its Unique Initiative Of Citizen Journalism, Ratnesh Dwivedi Mr

Ratnesh Dwivedi

The Indian television system is one of the most extensive systems in the world. Terrestrial broadcasting, which has been the sole preserve of the government, provides television coverage to over 90% of India's 900 million people. By the end of 1996 nearly 50 million households had television sets. International satellite broadcasting, introduced in 1991, has swept across the country because of the rapid proliferation of small scale cable systems. By the end of 1996, Indians could view dozens of foreign and local channels and the competition for audiences and advertising revenues was one of the hottest in the world. In …

Technology, Quality Learning And Student Disabilities: Challenges For, Dr Williams Emeka Obiozor

Dr Williams Emeka Obiozor

No abstract provided.

Enabling Leadership Capacity Through Authentic Learning: The Faculty Scholars Program, Geraldine E. Lefoe, Dominique Rene Parrish

Geraldine Lefoe

An identified gap in the higher education sector is the development of leadership capacity for teaching and learning. Significant funding has been allocated by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) to support the development of academic leadership in higher education. The outcomes of this initiative will ultimately improve the student experience as a more scholarly approach to the many aspects of teaching and learning is adopted. One project funded by ALTC supported four universities to develop and trial a framework for leadership capacity development. Five critical factors for success were identified including authentic learning activities that were situated in …

Midlands Voices: Student Literacy Gets Major Boost, Charles Johanningsmeier, Sarah K. Edwards

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

A glance at local and national media might lead one to believe there’s little good news about secondary schools and the literacy skills of their students: Low test scores. Few students reading for pleasure. Their inability to think incisively or write coherently.

Here in the metropolitan Omaha area, however, there is a major effort under way to support the reading and writing skills for high school and middle school students.

For the past year, an organization called METLink — a partnership of UNO’s College of Education and College of Arts and Sciences with area middle and high schools — has …

The Role Of Community College Faculty In Teaching And Learning For Sustainable Development, Anouchka Rachelson

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes, beliefs, and practices of community college professors regarding education for sustainable development (ESD). In-depth interviews with 14 professors from different disciplines were conducted. The participants taught at Miami Dade College, Florida, a Talloires Declaration signatory since 2006, and all had attended Green Studies professional development workshops. Written documents such as assignments and samples of student work were used for triangulation. The annual report of the college’s Earth Ethics Institute and its Web site served as additional sources. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for common themes. The Talloires Declaration’s …

Women Of African Descent: Persistence In Completing A Doctorate, Vannetta L. Bailey-Iddrisu

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the educational persistence of women of African descent (WOAD) in pursuit of a doctorate degree at universities in the southeastern United States. WOAD are women of African ancestry born outside the African continent. These women are heirs to an inner dogged determination and spirit to survive despite all odds (Pulliam, 2003, p. 337).This study used Ellis’s (1997) Three Stages for Graduate Student Development as the conceptual framework to examine the persistent strategies used by these women to persist to the completion of their studies.

The History Of Special Education: Lessons From The Past, Implications For The Future, Lucinda S. Spaulding, Deanna L. Keith Dr.

Lucinda S. Spaulding

We identify three eras in the history of special education: Early Reform (1800 – 1870), Stagnation and Regression (1870-1950), and Contemporary Reform (1950 – present). Next we examine parallels between eras and consider implications for people with disabilities today, highlighting the importance of the systematic study of historical perspectives in preparation programs for special educators.

Donna Shea Tssa Spring 2010, Donna Shea

Teaching Skills Study Awards (TSSA) Reports

Enhances faculty's teaching by attending a conference devoted to university teaching, a high-impact practice, evidence-based practice or a newly developing teaching practice.

A Phenomenological Exploration Of How West Indian Professionals In South Florida Perceive Their Career Construction, Judith D. Bernier

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored how West Indian professionals in South Florida perceive their career construction. The study used Savickas’s (2005) theory of career construction as its theoretical framework. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed for 15 West Indian professionals, who self-identified as West Indians and met all the criteria for this study. Interview data were analyzed using inductive, deductive, and comparative analyses. Five themes emerged from the inductive analysis of the data: (a) vocational influences, (b) adjustment challenges, (c) employment patterns, (d) career mobility patterns, and (d) career success perceptions. The theory of career construction guided the deductive analysis. …

Lark Christian, Lark Christian, Institute Of Child Nutrition

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Lark Christian has worked as a child care supervisor and statewide coordinator for child nutrition programs for the State of Mississippi. She is now the food service director for Jackson County, Mississippi.

Dianna Krebs, Dianna Krebs, Institute Of Child Nutrition

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Dianna Krebs has had an interesting path to school nutrition. After majoring in finance in college she worked as a bookkeeper, first at a bank, and then as the bookkeeper for her local school district, eventually becoming the bookkeeper for the child nutrition programs, where she rose through the ranks, becoming a coordinator, an assistant to the director, and finally the school nutrition director, where she currently supervises eighteen schools.

2010 Pod Conference Newsletter #3

Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education: Archives

No abstract provided.

Saundra Isabelle, Saundra Isabelle, Institute Of Child Nutrition

Oral History Project (all interviews)

Saundra Isabelle started working part-time in child nutrition when her children started school, but immediately fell in love with it. She quickly rose through the ranks and became a manager at Pass Christian Elementary, Middle, and High Schools for five years. She is now the food service director for the Pass Christian School District.

Judy Mumphrey, Judy Mumphrey, Institute Of Child Nutrition

Oral History Project (all interviews)

After earning bachelors and master’s degrees at the University of Southern Mississippi, Judy Mumphrey taught home economics for eleven and a half years, before moving into school food service. She started out as the School Foodservice Administrator at Pass Christian before moving to Bay-Waveland Schools, where she finished her career. Her biggest challenge over that career was dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Wanda Salley, Wanda Salley, Institute Of Child Nutrition

Oral History Project (all interviews)

An Alabama native, Wanda Salley holds degrees from Auburn University and Mississippi State University, and is also a Registered Dietitian. After beginning her career in hospitals she transitioned into school food service, first becoming a food service director in Houston, MS, followed by stints in Greenville, Pass Christian, and Harrison County, MS schools.