Education Commons^™

Isn’T Citizen Science A Hoot? A Case-Study Exploring The Effectiveness Of Citizen Science As An Instrument To Teach The Nature Of Science Through A Local Nocturnal Owl-Monitoring Project, Tess Marie Kreofsky

Dissertations and Theses

Citizen science projects present a distinctive opportunity for professional and volunteer scientists to coordinate their efforts to gather unique sets of data that can benefit the scientific and local communities. These projects are assumed to be an effective educational tool to teach nature of science (NOS) to participants (Brossard, Lewenstein, Bonney, 2005). This case study evaluates the effectiveness of participation in a citizen science project as a way to learn about NOS. Through enhancement of the Tryon Creek Owl Monitoring Project the researcher reviewed the characteristics of a citizen science project that were thought to be necessary to impact the …

From “Outsider” To “Bridge”: The Changing Role Of University Supervision In An Urban Teacher Residency Program, Wendy Gardiner, Janet Lorch

Faculty Publications

This qualitative research study investigated a faculty liaison (FL) model, an alternative to traditional field supervision implemented in an urban teacher residency (UTR) program. In the FL model, professors teaching in the UTR program were assigned to school sites rather than individual teacher candidates to observe and provide feedback, evaluate teacher candidate performance, and connect coursework and classroom practice. Results indicate strong support for the continuation of the FL model in lieu of traditional supervision. Specifically, the FL model supported teacher candidate learning, both in the field and in university coursework; and enhanced school-university collaboration. The authors provide an analysis …

Adding Fuel To The Fire: Life And Meaning Of Data In A Principal’S World, Donald Angelaccio, Maja Miskovic

Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education

In this paper a former middle school principal and his dissertation chair look back at the research process envisioned and carried out against the neo-positivist grain aggressively put forward by the government and espoused in school districts across the United States. We revisit the meaning of data and show how they emerged from the paradigmatic stance of action research and came to life via collaboration between teachers-research participants and a school principal-researcher. We provide examples of data that was simultaneously collected and interpreted and served as evidence that the process of action research resulted in meaningful learning, genuine change, and …

Pedagogical Praxis Models In Sustainability Education: A Focus On Food Systems And Environment, Karen Lynn Nordstrom

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

As societies embrace notions of sustainability, there is an increasing interest in how to best educate students about these concepts. The field of sustainability education (SE) is an approach that has been developed to address this concern. SE frameworks seek to integrate into curricular contents and formats within campus learning environments, in order to systematically improve upon approaches and services developed to support student learning and development. My research offers insight into the relationships between the philosophical principles and praxes of sustainability education, with the aim to inform educators on how best to prepare students to address complex sustainability issues. …

Spanish Language, Cultural Knowledge And Teachers’ Professional Development In An English-Only Environment, Sara Soledad Garcia

Teacher Education

This study documents the findings of action research projects generated by two teachers with different cultural backgrounds and grade levels; one is a bilingual Spanish-English high school teacher and the other is an English monolingual first grade-reading teacher. Teachers’ cognitive and professional development is examined by taking into account the results of the action research project on the literacy needs of their students. Qualitative data from teacher interviews and reflections have been collected and analyzed. These teachers as researchers of their own practice plan and integrate cultural interpretation produced by the children to better understand how learners construct knowledge through …

Gaining Understanding Of Capital Disparity In The Community College Classroom From A Faculty Perspective Through Action Research, David J. Heflin

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

Positioned between the engagement rich secondary school and the highly social four-year institution, the community college has limited opportunities to connect with students. If community colleges are to meet challenges of providing access to education for students who have traditionally been underserved by higher education, and hold up to new measures of accountability in graduating students, two-year institutions must recognize that faculty-student engagements occurring in the classroom are crucial. Perception and appreciation of student’s capital by faculty through purposeful engagements grounded in theory provide opportunity for understanding capital disparity that exists in the community college classroom.

Active participation of experienced …

Preparing Palestinian Reflective English Language Teachers Through Classroom Based Action Research, Majida "Mohammed Yousef" Dajani

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Abstract: This study aimed to describe the implementation of individual action research projects among some forty English language teachers distributed in thirty Palestinian schools in Ramallah and Qabatya districts-Palestine. It aimed to analyze the outcomes of the teachers’ action research as part of a broader participatory action research project that is intended to increase the capacity among teachers in Palestine as part of the LTD program. The data revealed that in spite of the difficulties that Palestinian teachers face, action research was a powerful, inquiry and exploratory tool that impacted teachers’ classroom practices and professional development. Furthermore, the implementation of …

Service-Learning With Young Students: Validating The Introduction Of Service-Learning In Pre-Service Teacher Education, Nancy M. Arrington

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications

Founded on experience as a practitioner and teacher action-researcher in an elementary school setting, the author shares this study as a validation for introducing the methodology of service-learning in teacher preparation programs. Multiple methods were used in this action research to analyze the effects of participating in a service-learning experience on the self-effi cacy for self-regulated learning of a class of third-grade music students as they participated in an intergenerational project—sharing music and writing with residents in a local nursing home.

The quantitative data included the results from the Children’s Self-Effi cacy Scale (Bandura, 2006) and progress rating scales administered …

Imágenes Como Recurso Pedagógico Para La Enseñanza De Vocabulario En Inglés En Estudiantes De Primaria Del Colegio Francisco De Paula Santander Ied, Zuleika Guzmán Torres, Ángela María Lozano Rodríguez, Viviana Brigitte Ruda Espitia, Laura María Vargas Jiménez

Licenciatura en Español y Lenguas Extranjeras

Este trabajo de investigación se realizó durante el primer y segundo semestre del 2013 y el primer semestre del 2014. Los objetivos de esta investigación buscan diagnosticar el nivel de inglés de los estudiantes, implementar imágenes como estrategia para la enseñanza de inglés y finalmente evidenciar qué tan efectiva es ésta estrategia. La investigación se realizó bajo la metodología Investigación – Acción con análisis de contenidos. En los resultados se evidencia la efectividad que tuvieron las ayudas visuales desarrolladas durante la práctica pedagógica en el aprendizaje de vocabulario en inglés en los aspectos fonológico, semántico y ortográfico. En el aspecto …

Wake Up Or Perish: Neo-Liberalism, The Social Sciences, And Salvaging The Public University, Dariusz Jemielniak

Dariusz Jemielniak

Higher education around the world is currently undergoing a neo-liberal administrative takeover. The drive to reduce costs and increased bureaucratization do not serve any other purpose than increasing the power of the universities’ administration. The reasons for allowing this situation to happen are related to scholars’ inertia and subscribing to a belief that academia can and should be impractical. As a result, the emerging corporate university, McDonaldized model relies increasingly on contingent and deskilled faculty, effectively eliminating the traditional academic freedoms. We conclude with suggestions for possible courses of action to make a constructive counter-movement to the radical changes taking …